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The Lentil Effect

Did you know…

There was a study that demonstrated a “second meal effect” aka “lentil effect” of eating beans.
This was not apparent in studies designed to record results at less than 3 hours or so. Instead, what was found was that a person who eats a “beany meal” feels less hungry and consumes fewer calories to achieve satiety at a subsequent meal hours later, or the next day.
This is attributed to the production of short chain fatty acids in the gut by bacteria that thrive on the fiber rich, non-digestible components of legumes.

Beans are good for you. Great source of protein and fiber. Eat them every day.

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TMI alert!!!

To anyone who says they “can’t eat beans” because it makes them “gassy”…

When I first went plant-based, there was period of significant flatulence as my gut microbiome adjusted its bacterial population to favor those better able to digest the increase in fiber.

The good part of this is that without all the animal products, it was all sound and no fury, LOL. But it did take quite a while (weeks for sure and continued to improve over months) but at this point, I do not have that challenge any more. And the noxious “fury” presents only when I have partaken in significant amounts of animal or animal byproduct on an exception basis (typically a social event where my eating preferences would pose unwelcome challenges to my host(s)). Your microbiome starts changing its “population” very quickly (within a few days), so you can develop enzymes to properly digest beans if you eat them regularly.

“In one seven-year study, legume consumption was the most important predictor of survival in people aged 70 and older,” says Dr. Todorov.”

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