Legumes, such as chickpeas and lentils, are very high in dietary fibre, which is excellent for gut health but can lead to bloating and flatulence if you’re not used to eating them regularly. It is good to remember that the benefits of dietary fibre far outweigh any discomfort (who misses working from home?!).
When starting to introduce more beans and legumes in your diet, we encourage you to eat smaller portions of these foods and work your way up. This might look like starting with ½ cup a week, then increasing to ½ cup twice a week etc. Although everybody is different, this strategy can help your gut to become more tolerant. You can also experiment with different varieties of beans and legumes, such as edamame, black beans, or kidney beans, to find the ones your family enjoys. Also, if you are eating tinned beans and legumes, rinsing them well can help to reduce gut symptoms.
A tip for introducing foods like legumes or lentils is to include them in small amounts mixed through regular dishes. Substitute 1/3 of the mince in a Bolognese for lentils, or use half mince and half tofu in a burger patty. This allows family members to get used to the taste and texture of these foods. And the best news is that even partially replacing the meat brings significant health and environmental benefits.