Study: Eating Beans on Toast Daily Could Help You Lose Weight

Consuming beans on toast daily has been linked to weight loss, with participants in a study shedding up to 6lbs in eight weeks due to this dietary regimen. In a separate Chinese study, some individuals experienced even greater weight loss, attributed to a specific component of the meal.

The effectiveness of this diet stems from the intake of 40g of resistant starch daily, which is present in baked beans, brown bread, green bananas, and oats.

Conducted at the Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, the study involved 37 overweight participants who received three pre-prepared meals daily for 16 weeks. Additionally, they consumed starch powder mixed in 300ml of water twice daily, with some receiving resistant starch and others receiving standard starch. Results published in the journal Nature Metabolism indicated that there was "no significant change" in weight among those in the standard starch group.

However, participants who consumed resistant starch experienced weight loss. Researchers concluded that "Resistant starch can facilitate weight loss, with benefits linked to changes in gut microbiota composition."

Resistant starch resists digestion in the small intestine, passing instead to the large intestine where it ferments and nourishes gut bacteria. This mechanism is believed to underlie the weight loss associated with its consumption, as well as its ability to induce a feeling of fullness and reduce the desire to overeat.

According to a Harvard dietitian, legumes found in baked beans are among the best sources of resistant starch, along with wholegrain bread, beetroot, hazelnuts, and artichokes.