How eating beans boosts your brain health and happiness

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It’s about time the humble bean had a glow-up. Haricot, cannellini, black, kidney, fava, pinto, soy, runner – you’ve heard of them all, sure. But when was the last time you cooked with them? According to recent research from The Food Foundation, whose new campaign, Bang in Some Beans, is designed to encourage more of us to think of beans when meal planning. Two thirds of the UK population eat fewer than one portion of beans per week. We’re missing a trick. Not only are these little fibre bombs excellent for our hearts and digestive health – not to mention planet-friendly and among the most affordable items on supermarket shelves – but they improve brain health, too.

Part of our national bean reluctance comes down to culture. France has cassoulet, Italy loves pasta e fagioli, Indian meals aren’t complete without dal, Mexico is home to refried beans and, across south-east and east Asia, entire cuisines have been built around the versatile and mighty soya bean. Britain, meanwhile, has… baked beans on toast, which suffers from associations with the unfortunate rhyme involving flatulence, post-war rations, school dinners and “making do”. Broad beans, cultivated here since the Iron Age, were long known as “horse beans” because so much of the crop fed livestock. In short: beans have an image problem. But there’s a rebrand on the horizon.

The gut–brain connection putting fibre back in the spotlight

The gut-brain axis (GBA) is the communication network between the gut and brain. It uses neural, hormonal and immune signals and is now considered one of the most important discoveries in nutritional science. The gut produces a significant proportion of our serotonin, the neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation, meaning a healthy gut microbiome supported by fibre-rich foods appears to play an important role in mental wellbeing. This is where legumes – the catch-all term for plants that produce seeds in pods and includes beans, lentils, peas and even peanuts – are unusually powerful: their combination of fibre, resistant starch and slow-release carbohydrates make them highly effective at feeding the very bacteria that maintain this gut-brain dialogue.

The mental health charity Mind notes that protein sources such as legumes also supply amino acids the brain needs to produce neurotransmitters – the chemicals that regulate thoughts, feelings and mental energy. But somewhere along the way, protein stole the spotlight. Scroll through Instagram and you’ll find “gym bro” culture pushing protein shakes, protein yogurts, even protein Mars bars. We’ve become laser-focused on getting more of it despite the fact that most adults already eat roughly twice the recommended amount. What we’re actually lacking, nutritionists say, isn’t protein at all. It’s fibre.

“Fibre is the Cinderella nutrient,” says Rebecca Tobi, a registered nutritionist and head of food business transformation at The Food Foundation. “Only 4 per cent of adults in the UK eat the recommended 30g a day.” Tobi notes that beans provide not only fibre but key micronutrients essential for brain and immune function: potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. “Our recent analysis of national diet data showed that people who ate more than one portion of beans a week were far less likely to be below the lower reference nutrient intake for these minerals,” she says. Low levels, she adds, can affect everything from energy to immunity, which have knock-on effects on mood.

This dovetails with a growing cultural shift. Social-media “fibremaxxing” trends, microbiome testing and the rise of gut-health influencers have helped rehabilitate fibre’s reputation – though beans still lag behind trendier foods such as kombucha or kefir. “What I wish more people understood,” says Martha Jansen, brand lead at Bold Bean Co, “is that even a handful of beans regularly can make a real difference. They stabilise blood sugar, feed your gut microbiome and provide slow-release energy that helps you feel focused and calm.”

Broad beans, dopamine and the science of mood

The bean story gets even more intriguing when we turn to broad beans. Dr Nadia Mohd-Radzman, a legume biologist at Cambridge University, has been working with the William Templeton Foundation for Young People’s Mental Health to explore how diet can support emotional wellbeing. She explains that broad beans contain unusually high levels of L-dopa, the natural chemical precursor to dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with reward, motivation and cognitive flexibility.

“Some clinical studies have shown that when people with certain types of depression are given L-dopa as a medication, symptoms can improve within weeks – particularly anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure,” she says. “Broad beans naturally contain L-dopa in significant quantities. About a tin’s worth a day could provide the equivalent of some doses used in those studies, though more research is needed.”

Clinical trials in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients have shown additional advantages to consuming L-dopa in bean form rather than as tablets. “When L-dopa is taken as a drug, you see spikes in the blood,” she says. “But with broad beans, levels rise more steadily, without that sudden peak. Some studies suggest this may reduce side effects and provide a longer on-period, meaning the beneficial effects last longer.”

Early research also hints at an additional component in the bean that may have a protective effect. “We don’t yet know what that compound is,” she says. “But it seems to make the L-dopa in beans more stable and sustained.”

Importantly, Mohd-Radzman stresses that broad beans are not appropriate for people already taking L-dopa medication for Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, as combining the two can cause overdosing and tremor. Nor should people with favism – a rare genetic condition that makes broad beans unsafe – consume them. But for everyone else, she says, their potential is remarkable.

Broad beans aren’t the only beneficial option. Fermented legume foods such as tempeh or miso can increase levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter associated with calm and reduced anxiety. And all beans support the gut–brain axis by providing fermentable fibre.

How beans can reduce your dementia risk

“Some observational studies have shown associations between legume intake and better cognitive function or lower dementia risk,” says Dr Oliver Shannon, researcher and lecturer in Nutrition and Ageing at Newcastle University. “But the strongest evidence we have relates to overall dietary patterns like the Mediterranean and Mind diets. These are rich in legumes, fruits and vegetables, nuts, olive oil and fish. Both observational and intervention studies – including PREDIMED in Spain and MedEx-UK – show cognitive benefits.”

A headline-grabbing study published early this year supports the substitution idea. “It included data from more than 130,000 people and found that swapping just one daily serving of processed red meat for nuts or legumes was linked with an almost 20% lower risk of dementia,” says Shannon. He is careful to note that this is observational research, not proof of cause and effect. “But it does suggest that replacing processed meats with foods like beans could be beneficial.”

Why might this be? Because healthy brain ageing appears closely tied to metabolic and cardiovascular health. High-fibre foods, like beans, help stabilise blood sugar, reduce inflammation and support heart function – and “what’s good for the heart is usually good for the brain,” adds Shannon.

Mediterranean-style diets – which lean heavily on legumes – are also associated with reduced brain shrinkage as we age. And the MIND diet, which blends Mediterranean principles with specific brain-supportive foods, includes a portion of beans at least four times a week.

Putting beans back on the table

Beyond the science, there’s a practical question: how do we persuade a nation raised on beans in tomato sauce to embrace them more enthusiastically? “Affordability is huge,” says Tobi. “You don’t need to give up meat. Just swap part of a portion for beans and you save money, reduce saturated fat and massively increase fibre.” She urges us all to look to international cuisine to see the delicious potential of this incredibly versatile food group. “If you look to other cultures, beans are heroed everywhere: Spanish, Lebanese, Mexican, Indian,” she says. “For food lovers, there’s a whole world of inspiration out there beyond baked beans on toast.”

Jansen also takes a flavour-first approach. “Beans have been treated as an afterthought in Britain,” she says. “But once people taste a really good bean – grown for flavour, cooked properly – it changes everything. They can be beautiful, craveable, even luxurious.” Bold Bean Co’s collaborations with chefs from Yotam Ottolenghi to rising London cooks aim to show that beans can be a centrepiece: from mashed broad beans on toast to creamy butter beans instead of mash with sausages or homemade hummus. “A dish you look forward to, not a compromise,” says Jansen.

For the hesitant, the advice is simple: go slow. Increasing fibre too quickly can cause discomfort, but only because the gut isn’t used to it. “If you build up gradually, any bloating is temporary,” says Tobi. “You’re essentially training your gut.”

Cheap, versatile, nutritious, brain-supportive and – crucially – extremely tasty when given the attention they deserve. It’s time to bring on the beans, we’ve overlooked them for long enough.

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