{"id":27894,"date":"2022-02-11T10:17:23","date_gmt":"2022-02-11T10:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/?p=24046"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:13:43","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:13:43","slug":"bean-there-done-that-can-swapping-to-pulses-be-the-new-years-resolution-that-sticks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/bean-there-done-that-can-swapping-to-pulses-be-the-new-years-resolution-that-sticks\/","title":{"rendered":"Bean there done that: Can swapping to pulses be the new year\u2019s resolution that sticks?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Piles<\/div>\n

A month into 2022, who else is struggling with some of the goals they\u2019ve set themselves?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve realised I\u2019m never destined to be a marathon runner, but that\u2019s okay as long as I keep taking steps in the right direction. Many of us use the passing of another year as a kick to start eating better.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to get pulled into the new diet trends or whatever has been named the \u2018superfood\u2019 du jour. But here\u2019s the secret, if your diet has a name, it probably won\u2019t work. And \u2018superfoods\u2019\u2026 they don\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n

If the changes we\u2019re trying to make are too difficult, or time consuming or costly, we\u2019re never going to stick to them. Sadly, there\u2019s no quick fix to keeping a healthy weight, and there are lots of things in the world we live in that can make it difficult, but there are some easy wins to be made.<\/p>\n

From \u2018superfoods\u2019 to helpful heroes<\/h2>\n

Blueberries, beetroot, kale, kefir, ginger \u2026 the list goes on.<\/p>\n

Despite persistent headlines about miracle foods, there\u2019s really no such thing.<\/p>\n

A healthy diet<\/a> is made up of a balance of different food groups. When it comes to diet and cancer, it\u2019s not about eating lots of one food or avoiding one completely but building a good pattern over time of what we eat every day.<\/p>\n

While the label \u2018superfood\u2019 is little more than a marketing ploy, there are everyday heroes in our diets. They might not be fancy, they might not wear a cape or have a premium price at the health store, but working them into our meals with simple swaps can have great benefits for our health.<\/p>\n

One such hero is the humble bean.<\/p>\n

Finger on the pulse<\/h2>\n

We\u2019re not just talking about baked beans as a side with your takeaway or part of your breakfast, there\u2019s a wonderful world of beans out there ready to be the main dish. You\u2019ve got black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, the list goes on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beans are a type of pulse which are part of the legume family.<\/span> Other pulses include lentils and chickpeas which are also great sources of protein and fibre, and low in fat.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest sources of dietary protein is meat and fish. While it can make up an important part of the diet, too much processed and red meat<\/a> increases the risk of developing bowel cancer.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re eating a lot of processed meat, you can swap to fresh chicken or fish, or wonderful beans and pulses. It\u2019s a win-win! You\u2019re cutting down on processed meat and fat, and upping your fibre at the same time. Having a diet that\u2019s high in fibre<\/a> has lots of health benefits including reducing the risk of cancer.<\/p>\n

Keep it easy peasy<\/h2>\n

There are so many great things about cooking with beans and pulses. <\/span><\/span> moving to a more<\/span><\/span><\/span> plant-based<\/span><\/span><\/span> diet<\/span><\/span><\/span> can help fight climate change.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Pulses come tinned or dried so they\u2019re easy to store and you don\u2019t need to worry about using them up quickly before they go off, they\u2019re cheaper than most meat products and they\u2019re super easy to fit into your diet with a few simple swaps.<\/p>\n

One easy meal to cook up for family and friends is a big pot of bean chilli. It\u2019s a comforting mix of black beans and kidney beans, along with onions, garlic, chillies, plenty of paprika and cayenne pepper, sweetcorn, sweet peppers and a tin of tomatoes.<\/p>\n

Bean stew is a great meal to make in a hurry. You can use whatever beans might be lurking in your cupboard and whatever veggies are in the fridge, with tin of tomatoes and lots of garlic. Use seasoning to make it your own, as smoky or spicy as you like.<\/p>\n

Top swaps:<\/strong><\/p>\n