Rhiannon Lambert

And beans are particularly interesting because they support our heart, not just on one level there, but multiple levels.

So soluble fiber, we're talking about pushing things through our gut, cardiovascular health, keeping our blood sugar regulation on track, digestive health, brain health, all sorts of things.

But only two thirds of the population, Ella, eat fewer than one portion of beans a week.

So despite them being the cheapest form of protein and fiber and the most nutrient-dense foods out there, we're just not eating them.

a bean or lentil growing up and I don't think it would have even crossed her mind because I'm not sure just baked beans yeah I never like my sisters loved baked beans I never loved I never liked baked beans see I used to have the five bean salad thing my mum used to but that's the only thing I ever saw growing up was baked beans yeah you're so right yeah my mum never cooked with because it's just not part of our culture definitely wasn't on a school menu whereas in other cultures like I've got friends that make the most incredible um constantly Indian food or dals and I tried my first um dokla oh my god

Yes, in Italy, they're famous for minestrone.

And it's also because of the resistant starch, which reaches the colon or further down your intestine and feeds these beneficial bacteria.

And we get these incredible short chain fatty acids that also help with our serotonin, our happy hormone production.

Beans are really quite remarkable.

And I think...

It doesn't prove that on their own they're going to be the cure for dementia.

We can't say that.

Because traditionally we used to really pack in... I think because back in the olden days, I will say, there is an association of peasant foods versus protein-rich items.

Yeah, because beans are so much cheaper than a steak.

Exactly.

So I...

We probably ate a lot of beans and pulses in society.

And then those that were living in the palaces just probably had a lot of meat and animal produce.

So those connotations obviously stem through society for different types of foods.

We really need to bust this image, don't we, that beans aren't cool because the two Bs, beans are brain friendly.