The Effect of Edible Beans and Peas on Satiation, Satiety and Food Intake in Children

The purpose of the study was to investigate how adding pureed beans and peas to a mixed meal will affect the satiation (sensation of fullness that arises during a meal), satiety (sensation of fullness arising between meals), food intake (i.e., calories and nutrients consumed) and gastrointestinal comfort level and overall wellness in 9-14 year old children. Considering the fact that pulse consumption in Canada is low and that some children may be unfamiliar with them and not want to consume them we homogenized pulses to the consistency of a purée and added them to pasta and tomato sauce that are traditionally consumed by children (e.g., Heinz Alphagetti). Blended pulses were added to a mixed meal like a side dish that provided 44% of energy of a total energy of a meal. These results suggest that adding pulses to a mixed meal may be used to control the appetite in children. The intake of the meals with added pulses did not cause any symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort over two hours and were well tolerated by children. The results of this study indicate that pureed pulses may help to control energy intake, increase satiety and improve dietary intakes in children when added to a mixed meal.