Why 2016 is the year of pulses
The United Nations has declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses – so make sure you’ve got your finger on it.
So many of our favourite foods include pulses such as houmous, curries and, of course, baked beans – and there’s a reason why. Not only are pulses versatile and tasty, but they also have a whole host of health benefits.
Healthy choices
This incredible food group can improve health and wellbeing by helping to prevent and control diabetes and combat anaemia. That’s why pulses are primed to be the new go-to food for chiefs and nutritionists this year.
Research also shows eating just 130g of pulses daily can reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol by five per cent. This puts less strain on your ticker and reduces the chances of getting heart disease.
Veggie special
Whether you’re flexitarian (ie occasionally meat-free) or vegetarian as a lifestyle choice, pulses are fantastic for getting the protein you need without meat and at a much lower price. They’re jam-packed with plant-based proteins, full of fibre and have a low glycaemic index, which makes them ideal for weight loss.
Go green
And the benefits don’t stop there – pulses are easy on the environment, too. They use far less water, less fertiliser and have a much lower carbon footprint compared to other protein sources, such as meat. So, if you’re trying to go green, pulses are an excellent way to play your part in saving the environment.
Time to get cooking
Stuck for ideas on how to incorporate this food group into your cooking? You can use it as a staple in a simple meal or jazz it up into a gourmet dish. Check out our food pages for a host of delicious pulse-based healthy recipes so you can start incorporating more dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas into your culinary repertoire.
Make your pulse quicken by whipping up more delicious, nutritious and environmentally-friendly pulse-based dishes this year!
For more information on different pulses from around the world and recipe inspiration, visit Pulses.org
What are your favourite ways to cook with pulses? Tweet us @healthymag
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