Numerous modern dietary recommendations encourage
high protein consumption to help with weight loss or prevent the age-related
loss of muscle mass. Furthermore, consuming more vegetable-based protein from
beans and peas, and less protein from meats such as pork, veal and beef, is
recommended because meat production is a far greater burden on our climate than
vegetable cultivation. Until now, we haven't known very much about how legumes
like beans and peas stack up against meat in satiating hunger. As a result,
little has been known about the impact of vegetables and the possibility of
them catalyzing or maintaining weight loss.
High protein vegetables fill more
The recent study demonstrated that protein-rich
meals based on beans and peas increased satiety more in the study participants
than protein-rich veal and pork based meals. In the study, 43 young men were
served three different meals in which patties -- consisting of either
beans/peas or veal/pork -- were a key element. The study also demonstrated that
when participants ate a protein-rich meal based on beans and peas, they
consumed 12% fewer calories in their next meal than if they had eaten a
meat-based meal.
"The protein-rich meal composed of legumes
contained significantly more fiber than the protein-rich meal of pork and veal,
which probably contributed to the increased feeling of satiety," according
to the head researcher, Professor Anne Raben of the University of Copenhagen's
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports.
Sustainable eating can help weight loss
Most interestingly, the study also demonstrated that
a less protein-rich meal based on beans and peas was as satiating and tasty as
the protein-rich veal and pork-based meals.
"It is somewhat contrary to the widespread
belief that one ought to consume a large amount of protein because it increases
satiety more. Now, something suggests that one can eat a fiber-rich meal, with
less protein, and achieve the same sensation of fullness. While more studies
are needed for a definitive proof, it appears as if vegetable-based meals --
particularly those based on beans and peas -- both can serve as a long term
basis for weight loss and as a sustainable eating habit," concludes
Professor Raben.
The results are published in the scientific journal
Food & Nutrition in the article: Meals based on vegetable protein sources
(beans and peas) are more satiating than meals based on animal protein sources
(veal and pork) -- a randomized cross-over meal test study.