The many upsides of pulses
High in protein, fibre and B vitamins, pulses help in fight against obesity, disease
Are chickpeas the new kale? The humble little legume is showing up everywhere — fried and spiced as a bar snack, whirled into hummus, tossed in salads. Surely chickpea smoothies can’t be far off.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has named 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Pulses offer great nutritional value for the dollar. Besides, says chef Jonathan Chovancek, “they’re also delicious.”
Since 2010, when he became chef on the CBC-TV series Village on a Diet, he’s been passionate about eating healthier.
Pulses include lentils, chickpeas and dried peas and beans, such as kidney beans, black beans, blackeyed peas, split peas and sprouted mung beans ( better known as bean sprouts).
Pulses are high in protein, fibre, B vitamins, iron and amino acids, but low in fat — all reasons why Canada’s Food Guide recommends eating more of them and why medical experts consider them vital in fighting obesity, diabetes, coronary disease and cancer.
Canada is one of the world’s biggest producers of pulses, accounting for 35 per cent of the global pulse trade and shipping to 150 global markets. Indeed, we’ve become the world’s largest exporter of peas and lentils.
Pulses generally come dried or canned.
Canned beans are already cooked; all you need to do is add them to whatever dish you’re serving. (Rinse well, though — canned beans generally contain lots of sodium and the starches that cause gassiness.)
Dried beans take more work, but are cheaper. Soak overnight in plenty of cold water. Chovancek also suggests adding a touch of lemon juice to the soaking liquid — it neutralizes phytic acid, which prevents the body from absorbing the plant’s proteins and minerals. (Alternatively, you can cook them with acidic ingredients such as tomatoes.) Cook slowly in plenty of water. Beans will take one to two hours to cook, lentils as little as 30 minutes. Add a bit of salt halfway through cooking.