Do beans fill you up as well as beef does?

Meat-free meals have moved beyond the realm of vegetarianism, with many consumers looking to manage and maintain weight with plant-based meal options.

Some of the alternative ingredients that can replace meat include protein isolates, whole legumes, whole grains and vegetables. They may act as a protein substitute, but do they result in the same feeling of fullness as a meat-based meal?

A study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), has found that a bean-based meal does provide a similar feeling of fullness compared to a beef-based meal.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota had 28 participants (14 men and 14 women) consume two test lunches containing a ‘meat loaf’ made from either beef or beans. The beef meal provided 26 g of protein and 3 g of fibre, while the bean meal provided 17 g of protein and 12 g of fibre. Both meals were matched in weight, kilojoules and total fat. All the participants showed no difference in appetite ratings between the beef and bean meals over three hours. In addition, they consumed the same amount of calories at the next meal eaten.

Protein is considered to be the number one nutrient that induces the feeling of fullness, with fibre coming in a close second. While protein intake releases appetite-suppressing hormones, the beneficial effects of fibre on appetite and food include slowing down the digestion process and helping control blood sugar levels to increase the feeling of fullness for longer. The findings of this study support the idea that plant-based proteins with high fibre may offer similar appetite regulation as animal protein.