An NHS doctor shared a “simple” food swap you can make to “change your health”. According to the expert, this tweak could help lower your cholesterol levels and aid weight loss.

Many of us are aware of the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. What we eat plays a major role in our health and wellbeing.

However, it may seem overwhelming to completely overhaul your diet. Luckily, making one small change could result in a whole host of benefits.

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In a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, Doctor Karan Rajan explained more about a recent scientific study. According to the findings, which were published in the European Journal of Nutrition, just switching out five per cent of your protein intake could make a huge difference to your health.

Dr Rajan, who is better known online as Dr Raj, said: “If you eat a lot of meat like I used to, this simple swap could change your health. Scientists at the University of Helsinki instructed 51 men to reduce the amount of red meat and ultra-processed meat they were eating to just 200 grams a week.

“That's seven ounces, equivalent to five per cent of their total protein intake.” The meat was swapped for legumes, which include beans, lentils, and peas.

He continued: “Meanwhile, the men ate more legumes, specifically peas and faba beans, equivalent to 20 per cent of their total protein intake. And they continued eating chicken, eggs, fish, and other protein sources as normal.

“Beyond the bean swap, the men were not told to eat any less or restrict any of their calories.” One major change seen in the participants was their weight.

Dr Raj said: “But after just six weeks, they'd lost an average of one kilo, or two pounds of weight.” They also saw their risk of cardiovascular disease drop.

“And the changes didn't stop there,” he said. “By the end of the study, the men who had eaten legumes had lower levels of total and LDL cholesterol, suggesting that the diet swap reduced their risk of heart disease.

“At the same time, the men's iron levels improved, which is surprising given that red meat is considered to be a good source of dietary iron. Let's face it, we collectively eat more saturated fat than we should be.

“And replacing a small portion of meat, beans is something every person could do.” He shared some examples of how to make these changes.

He added: “For example, when you're next making spaghetti Bolognese, use half the amount of beef mince and top it up with beans. And you'd barely notice it, because blended beans virtually taste of nothing and you're sneaking in fibre, polyphenols and a saturated fat-free protein source.”

Commenting on the findings, professor of molecular nutrition and study author Anne-Maria Pajari said: “In the short term, critical nutrient intake wasn’t jeopardised in the legume group. This was likely because the participants remained on mixed diets, rather than cutting out any foods entirely. However, research is needed on the effects of switching to plant-based diets on the body’s nutritional status, particularly in vulnerable population groups, such as children and older adults”