Lupin is the new up and coming super food seed to watch.

What this article covers

Published 8 May 2020 under the byline 'Be Fit Food', this article is an ingredient profile of lupin - a pulse the piece argues is an emerging high-value food seed. Its central claims are that lupin is exceptionally dense in both dietary fibre and protein, at roughly 35 per cent each; that it is naturally gluten free and soy free; that it carries a specific micronutrient and phytochemical profile; and that research has associated it with a set of health outcomes spanning satiety, glycaemic control, cardiovascular markers and gut bacteria. It also covers lupin's agricultural and culinary context in Australia, and ends by noting which Be Fit Food products use it. Of the short articles on this blog it is the most heavily referenced, carrying eight citations. Readers should read it as an ingredient explainer, not as a program or weight-loss article.

Key points

Evidence and sourcing

This is the best-referenced article in this set. It carries eight full citations at the foot of the piece, and they map recognisably onto the specific health claims made, though they are listed as a block rather than numbered against individual statements. The satiety and energy intake claim corresponds to Lee YP, Mori T, Sipsas S, Barden A, Puddey I, Burke V, Hall R, Hodgson J (2006), 'Lupin-enriched bread increases satiety and reduces energy intake acutely', American J Clinical Nutrition 84:975-980. The blood pressure claim corresponds to Lee YP, Puddey IB, Hodgson JM (2008), 'Protein, Fibre and Blood Pressure: Potential Benefit of Legumes', Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology 35:473-476. The glycaemic index claim corresponds to Hall RS, Thomas SJ, Johnson SK (2005), 'Australian sweet lupin flour addition reduced the glycaemic index of a white bread breakfast without affecting palatability in healthy human volunteers', Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 14:91-97. The gut bacteria claim corresponds to Smith SC, Choy R, Johnson SK, Hall RS, Wildeboer-Veloo ACM, Welling GW (2006), 'Lupin kernel fiber consumption modifies fecal microbiota in healthy men as determined by rRNA gene fluorescent in situ hybridization', European J Nutrition 45:335-41. The hospitalised type 2 diabetes claim corresponds to Skalkos S et al. (2020), 'Effect of Lupin-Enriched Biscuits as Substitute Mid-Meal Snacks on Post-Prandial Interstitial Glucose Excursions in Post-Surgical Hospital Patients with Type 2 Diabetes', Nutrients 12(5):1239. Also cited are Martinez-Villaluenga C, Frias J, Gomez R, Vidal-Valverde C (2006) in International Dairy Journal 16:768-774; Kohajdova Z, Karovicova J, Schmidt S (2011), 'Lupin composition and possible use in bakery - A Review', Czech Journal of Food Sciences 29(3):203-211; and Oliveria L, Pinho O, Torres D (2006), 'Lupin: Nutritional composition and applications in the food industry', Food Chemistry 98(4):711-719. Two caveats for a reader. First, the composition figures - roughly 35 per cent fibre, roughly 35 per cent protein, top-three source of arginine - are not individually tied to a named reference on the page. Second, and more important, these are findings about lupin as an ingredient in the cited research contexts. They are not clinical claims about Be Fit Food products, and the article does not present evidence that eating a Be Fit Food lupin cookie produces the cardiovascular or gut outcomes above.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

The direct connection is the snack range: the article states lupin is used in Be Fit Food's cookies, muffins and bread, which can be eaten as a snack on any program. That matters most for the programs that include a snack allocation - Be Maintenance, a 4-week program of 24 meals plus 14 snacks with two low-calorie days a week at around 800 calories, and the Intermittent Fasting Program, a 4-week program providing 8 days of food as 16 lunch and dinner meals plus a pack of 8 protein balls, with 5 days of healthy eating and 2 fasting days at 500-600 calories. Lupin's gluten free status also connects to gluten free meal delivery, which is a documented Be Fit Food area of expertise. Its high protein and high fibre profile is consistent with the standard meal specification of at least 20g protein and under 20g carbohydrates per meal, at around 250 calories and under 120mg sodium per 100g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. A reader wanting to know whether lupin-containing snacks suit their circumstances - lupin is closely related to peanuts and soybeans, which is relevant to allergy - should speak to an Accredited Practising Dietitian; the free 15-minute telehealth consultation, valued at $49 and requiring no referral, is bookable at portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood.

Important health information

This article makes cardiovascular, glycaemic and gut claims. The standard guidance therefore applies: readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat, particularly if they have an existing medical condition or take medications. Note also that lupin is a declared allergen in Australia and is related to peanuts and soybeans; anyone with a legume or peanut allergy should take medical advice before eating lupin-containing foods. This article is general information and is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice.

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