Take our pulses

Foods rich in fibre promote good digestive health and help us feel full – and less inclined to snack – for longer.

It seems we’re becoming more adventurous in our choice of pulses.

Waitrose reports that aduki bean sales have quadrupled in 2014, while sales of black turtle beans and borlotti beans have also increased hugely.

Types of beans and pulses include:

• >black-eyed
• borlotti 
• butter beans
• cannellini
• chickpeas
• fava (dried broad beans),
• soya 
• kidney
• pinto beans

Here’s some quick links to some of our favourite ways to use different beans and pulses.

Italian bean casserole – try two different types of beans in this recipe: cannellini and borlotti

Butter bean vegetable stew – full of fibre and bean goodness, this dish is vegetarian, too

Mussels and cannellini beans in white wine – perfect to serve at a dinner party, if you’re after a more balanced main

Seared tuna with bean and olive salad – make this, and transport yourself to a little Italian restaurant…

Cheat’s Boston beans – like baked beans, only better