Nutrition myth buster: Why these ‘forgotten’ proteins might improve your health and grocery bill

New Zealand Listener

25 Jun, 2026 06:06 PM5 mins to read

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Lentils and chickpeas are among the most powerful and overlooked foods for modern health. Jennifer Bowden highlights their benefits and has tips for how to use them. Photo / Getty Images

Nearly half of New Zealanders rarely eat them, yet for thousands of years, pulses like lentils and chickpeas were everyday staples. Today they have been relegated to side dishes or the occasional baked beans on toast. Considering the current popular obsession with protein, that’s ironic because lentils and chickpeas
aren’t just fodder for environmentalists or a budget filler, they’re among the most powerful and overlooked foods for modern health, yet we seem to have forgotten this ancient protein source.

Gram for gram, pulses don’t match meat for protein but they do contribute a significant serve of protein, and at a fraction of the cost of meat. Pulses contain around 7-9g of protein per half-cup, less than the 25-30g of protein provided by 100g of beef or chicken.

However, pulses have a nutritional bonus: fibre, whereas animal meats completely lack fibre. Moreover, dried pulses cost about $6 per kilogram, around half the price of chicken breast, and a fraction of the cost of beef. When cost is factored in, pulses are one of the cheapest sources of protein available, making them practical as well as a nutritious. Legumes also contain B vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium and potassium, as well as a range of polyphenols, alongside their protein and fibre. That nutrition profile also makes them a low glycaemic index food that slowly increases blood glucose levels, in contrast to the processed foods found in many Western diets.

There’s a broader reason pulses are back on the agenda. Modelling studies of diets consistently show that increasing legumes and reducing reliance on animal protein is one of the most effective ways to lower environmental impact, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, while still meeting nutrient needs. Eating more lentils and beans is one of the rare dietary shifts that benefits both human and planetary health.

While the terms legumes, pulses and beans are often used interchangeably, legumes refer to a broad family of foods including soybeans, peanuts, fresh and dried beans and peas, chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, and even forage crops such as alfalfa and clover. Pulses are a specific subgroup of legumes that are harvested as dry grains and include lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas. In short: all pulses are legumes, but not all legumes are pulses.

What’s interesting is that not all legumes appear equal. Recent research suggests that pulses, such as lentils, chickpeas and dried beans, may drive much of the cardiovascular benefits, with higher intakes linked to lower risks of heart disease and hypertension. While this research was observational, it suggests that these traditional staples punch above their weight nutritionally.

Their fibre content may be key too. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends regularly including pulses in meals to help meet daily fibre targets, with high-fibre diets linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer. That’s particularly relevant in New Zealand, which has one of the highest bowel cancer rates in the world and where fibre intakes remain stubbornly low.

Despite protein dominating nutrition headlines, it’s fibre that most New Zealanders are lacking. New Zealand men consume around 22g and women just 17.5g of fibre per day – well below the recommended intake of 30 and 25g per day respectively. Yet something as simple as a cup of baked beans can deliver close to half a day’s fibre needs.

At a time when protein is marketed as the answer to everything, pulses provide a useful reality check. They may not top the protein charts, but they combine enough protein with the fibre most of us lack, making them one of the few foods that genuinely delivers both what we want and what we need – protein for satiety and fibre for health, all in one simple, affordable food.

Serving suggestions

While some legumes need soaking before cooking, others like lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas do not. And canned pulses such as chickpeas, beans and lentils can simply be rinsed under water (to remove excess salt) before adding to meals.

Add canned baked beans, chickpeas or red kidney beans to a store-bought or home-made soup, casserole or pasta sauce. Add canned four-bean mix or chickpeas to salad or pasta.Substitute baked beans and diced vegetables for meat in a shepherd’s pie; or combine beans with meat to make the meal more nutritious and go further.Use red kidney beans in a Mexican-style chilli; serve with rice, baked potatoes, nachos, tacos or burritos.Replace meat in recipes with beans or tofu. Add your favourite sauce or marinade to tofu to imbue some flavour; dry-fry in a non-stick pan and add to stir-fried vegetables or a salad.Make bean-burgers – blend kidney beans with onion, spices, sauces and breadcrumbs in a food processor, form into patties, cook and serve in a wholegrain bun with leafy greens.Toss falafels – made from chickpeas and/or beans – with salad into a pita pocket.Use pureed beans as a dip or spread – hummus is a chickpea-based dip.SaveShare this article

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