Want to Lose Weight? Eat Pulses!

A recent study confirmed the previous claim that a daily serving of pulses--crops that belong the legume family--makes people feel fuller and can significantly lessen "bad cholesterol."

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition said that eating about 3/4 cup of pulses, such as peas, chickpeas, beans and lentils, can lead to a weight loss of about 0.34 kilogram.

"Though the weight loss was small, our findings suggest that simply including pulses in your diet may help you lose weight," said lead author Dr. Russell de Souza of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital in a statement.

Pulses, according to Medical Xpress, contain a low glycemic index, which means they are broken down slowly. They can also be used to reduce or displace animal protein, as well as "bad" fats, such as trans-fat in a dish or meal.

According to a Medical Daily report, the researchers conducted a meta-analysis that looked at 21 clinical trials of 940 adult men and women.

Data from each clinical trial were pooled together to find out if the weight of each participant has changed.

Researchers discovered that over the course of 6 weeks, the participants--who followed their regular diet and daily routine with the addition of a daily single serving of pulses--have lost an average of 0.34 kilogram.

UPI reported that this new study fits well with the previous work of de Souza and his team, which found out that pulses increased the feeling of fullness by 31 percent.

De Souza also noted that 90 percent of weight loss intervention fail due to hunger and cravings. Eating pulses may shake away that feeling and aid in better diets.

This year was designated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as the International Year of Pulses.