Beans. Peas. Favas. Chickpeas. Lentils. Good for your health.
Great for the environment. Amazinglypulses delicious to eat! These
unassuming members of the pulse family are impressively resilient
and will stand up to the effects of climate change. In order to
educate people about their rich value, the United Nations declared
2016 to be the “International Year of Pulses!’’
Also, in its effort to encourage shoppers to include these little-known
seeds on their grocery lists, it released an online book Pulses:
Nutritious Seeds for a Sustainable Future. The book details their
varieties, methods for growing and cooking them, and their solution
to widespread hunger, disappearing biodiversity and food security.
According to Pulses.org, “one pound of pulses requires
only 43 gallons of water to produce, compared to 1,857 gallons
of water for one pound of beef.’’ This, together with
many more advantages, points to beans becoming a good bet for
the future.
The family of pulses can withstand the effects of our changing
climate. As these crops are a hardier variety than many others,
they will be able to tolerate future droughts and floods. With
their ability to repair nitrogen levels, they contribute to the
biodiversity within the soil. Depending on the type of crops planted,
the UN’s book states that “pulses can add anywhere
from 30 to 300 kg of nitrogen into the soil per hectare.‘’
This means that the soil’s carbon sequestration is improved
as the plants absorb and draw into the soil part of the natural
CO2 emissions. When free from pesticides and fertilizer, crops
of pulses actually leave the soil healthier after they have been
harvested. As for food security, dried beans are inexpensive and
can remain on your pantry self for a lengthy time without losing
nutrients.
Pulses are highly nutritious. They are also rich in vitamins
and minerals as well as high in fiber, iron, folate, gluten and
potassium; and are an excellent source of protein without eating
meat. For extra flavor, add a little salt to the water when soaking
the beans, and cook them in broth rather than plain water. Check
out the recipes for making bean soup, bean salad, black bean tacos;
pasta with beans; chickpea curry; bean chili; tomato, spinach
and black bean pizza; and bean burgers.
By including pulses in your weekly diet, they will actually make
you healthy which, as you know, is the best defense against illness.
Thanks to their high fiber content, they can reduce the risk of
heart disease, help with managing weight by stabilizing blood
sugar and insulin levels, as well as lower cholesterol.
Ontario’s longtime composting educator, Cathy Nesbitt,
also became an advocate for pulses through sprouting. Cathy states,
“Adding fresh sprouts to your life adds life to your life.”
She encourages everyone to grow their own fresh sprouts at home,
school or office for a continuous supply of simple, delicious,
nutritious, affordable food. She adds, “Eat sprouts year-round
for maximum health benefits; in summer add sprouts to salads,
smoothies and sandwiches for a boost in flavor and an increase
in nutrient value. During the winter, choose sprouts to enjoy
fresh greens even when the ground is frozen.”
Perhaps this is the reason why we use the expression, “That
little tyke must be full of beans!’’ when we encounter
an energetic child.
Related Links:
www.treehugger.com/green-food/5-ways-which-pulses-can-help-world.html
When
beans save dinner
4
ways to cook dried beans to perfection
pulses.org
Recipes
– Pulse Canada
Pulse
Canada Recipe Booklets
Recipes
| Alberta Pulse Growers
16
Delicious Recipes Featuring Beans & Lentils – Cookie
and Kate
24
recipes for the Year of the Pulse | Simple Bites
www.cathyssprouters.com
Larraine Roulston writes the Pee Wee at Castle Compost adventure
series. Visit www.castlecompost.com.
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