NHS GP who regularly appears on This Morning and Lorraine explained ‘food group I would say that really adds years to life’
13:49, 12 Nov 2025Updated 15:17, 12 Nov 2025
Dr Amir Khan gave podcast listeners his number one food to make you live longer(Image: No Appointment Necessary)
A television doctor has given his number 1 food to eat to live longer – and he promised it ‘adds years to life’. Dr Amir Khan who regularly appears on ITV shows such as This Morning and Lorraine was appearing on the No Appointment Necessary podcast and was asked what people can do to make themselves healthier.
And Dr Khan who works as a GP in the NHS said that people need to eat more legumes – because they are so packed with healthy nutreitns. He told host Cherry Healey: “I want to give you my number one food tip when it comes to living longer. The one food group I would say that really adds years to life and health as well are legumes.”
Cherry asked: “Is that a fancy word for a bean?” Dr Khan agreed and said: “Beans actually are one of the healthiest food groups you can have. So it’s not just beans, it’s lentils, chickpeas, pulses. They contain protein, plant protein, fibre, which again feeds your gut health, but the nutrient density within a legume is just huge, and studies show when they compare people who eat the most legumes to those who eat the least, there’s between a 10 and 15% chance of those eating the least dying from all causes. It’s called all cause mortality earlier than those who eat the most.”
The British Heart Foundation says: “Pulses are one of the highest fibre foods – just one portion of pulses provides about a third of the fibre you need for the entire day. That means they can help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Their mix of protein and fibre means they are digested slowly, making you feel fuller for longer.”
Health App Zoe adds: “Legumes refers to a whole family of plants, but people typically mean the edible pods or seeds, which include pulses, beans, and peas. Legumes are packed with fiber and protein, as well as healthy fats and carbohydrates and a host of minerals and other nutrients.
“They’re good for your gut — and research suggests that legumes may also improve your cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of long-term health conditions, and help with weight management.” On the same podcast Dr Khan also issued a chilling warning to anyone who is fond of burning candles in their home. He said: “So burning one candle is not going to kill you, but over time, if you’re burning lots of candles, many days of the week, they give off something called volatile oxidative compounds, which are tiny particles.
“You can breathe in and they can cause inflammation in your body. And long term inflammation causes long term stress and all of that. It’s all a cumulative build up effect. So a nice smelly candle at Christmas, absolutely lovely. It’s not really going to do anything, but just covering your house like a Catholic Church is not going to be a good idea. Not a good idea.”