What are pulses?
- Dry seeds (so green peas and green beans are vegetables, not pulses)
- Some common pulses you eat: Lentils and beans (Kidney, pinto navy, lima, chickpea (garbanzo)
Pulses are great because the nutrition they provide help you maintain good health with:
- A high protein content (20-25% protein) — 2x wheat & 3x rice. Since pulses are short on methionine, and grains on lysine, it’s a good idea to eat them together. Sesame seeds are also high in methionine.
- No cholesterol, sodium, and little fat
- Lots of essential amino acids, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals ( iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc etc.)
Health Benefits (from wikipedia)
Pulses have significant nutritional and health advantages for consumers. They are the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities, and in the Seven Countries Study, legume consumption was highly correlated with a reduced mortality from coronary heart disease.Furthermore, pulses are especially high in amylose starch making them a good source of prebiotic resistant starch.
- Diabetic diet: For people with diabetes, consuming lentils, peas and beans helps control blood glucose management. Compared with some other carbohydrate sources, pulses have a lower glycemic index. Studies have also shown that consuming pulses can result in more stable blood glucose levels after meals.
- Weight management diet: Although more research is needed in this direction, consuming pulses can help with weight management. For people trying to lose weight, pulses are high in fiber and protein, low in fat and moderate in calories. One cup of cooked lentils or dry peas contains about half of the daily fiber recommendation for adults. Foods higher in fiber content usually help people feel “full” or satiated at mealtime.[4]
