NEWS ALERTS: Why Pulses are important to us and to our environment?

NEWS ALERTS: Why Pulses are important to us and to our environment?

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Before I detailed the importance of Pulses, let me first introduce to you what Pulses is, in technical terms, they’re the dry, edible seeds of plants in the legume family, In understandable terms, they’re a category of superfoods that includes chickpeas, lentils, dry peas, and bean varieties. They’re also incredibly healthy, affordable, sustainable and tasty. This is my first time I heard about Pulses, in the recent event were the US Ambassador to the Philippines his Excellency Philip S. Goldberg invited us to promote the importance of Pulses to the Filipino.

Different Types of Pulses
Although this is my first time to hear about the word Pulses but I’ve actually eaten some of its like chickpeas. Lentils dried peas and beans. Those are pulses individual names, this year “pulses” will become a household term. Because the United Nations declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses, and will help raise awareness about them across the globe all year.

So, Why Pulses are important to us and to our environment? 

Pulses are important to us because of the following;


1. Pulses can be stored for months without losing their high nutritional value, providing increase food availability between harvests. A key ingredient in my national and regional dishes such as Baked Beans, Chilli, Daal and Falafel.

2. Pulses have been an essential part of the human diet for centuries. The agricultural production of beans, chickpeas and lentils dates back to 7000 – 8000 B.C.

3. Highly water efficient, water efficiency of pulses compared to other protein sources: 1 kg Daal (split peas or lentils) = 50 liters; 1 kg chicken = 4,325 liters; 1 kg mutton = 5,520 liters; 1 kg beef = 13,000 liters; 

4. A powerful superfood which are; Zero cholesterol; a High content of iron and zinc; Rich in nutrients; Gluten free; Rich in minerals and B. Vitamins; Source of protein; Low glycemic index; Low-fat content; Source of dietary fiber.

5. Feeding the world, North America is the leading producer of pulse crops in the world. Since the world’s growing population will require 70% increase in agricultural production by 2050, pulses low carbon footprint and water and soil efficiency makes them the ideal sustainable food of the future.

6. Pulses are nutritional powerhouses, loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They’ve also been shown to lower the risk of heart diseases and diabetes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and help with weight loss. Gluten-free and vegetarian, they contain twice the protein of quinoa. Black beans contain 1.5 times the amount of iron as flank steak, and chickpeas have three times the folate (as essential B vitamin that helps prevent neutral tube birth defects) as kale, Plus, pulses are high in fiber – linked to weight loss and feeling fuller – and loaded with more antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranate juice. In fact, they’re so nutrient-dense that nutritionists actually consider them both a protein and a vegetable at once.



Food that you can prepare using different types of Pulses.

Pulses are important to our environment because of the following;


1. Part of the vital web of biodiversity, intercropping with pulses increases farm biodiversity and creates a more diverse landscape for animals and insects.

2. Foster sustainable agriculture and soil protection, the nitrogen-fixing properties of pulses can improve soil fertility, which improves and extends the productivity of farmland. 

3. Pulses species have a broad genetic diversity from which climate resilient varieties can be selected. By producing a smaller carbon footprint, pulses indirectly reduce greenhouse emissions. 

4. Economically accessible and multipurpose, farmers who cultivate pulses have the option to eat and/or sell their harvest, Pigeon peas, and Bambara beans can be cultivated in very poor soils and semi-arid environments. Crop residue from grain legumes can be also used as animal fodder. 

5. Low Carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions from crop production are largely cause by nitrogen fertilizers. Pulses require fewer nitrogen fertilizers because they create their own fertilization by pulling nitrogen from the air and into the soil. Water-savvy, Pulses use just one-tenth of the water of other proteins. For example, it takes on 43 gallons of water to produce 1 lb of pulses compared to 800-1,800 gallons of water to produce the same amount of animal protein. Pulses extract water from a shallower depth, leaving more water deep in the soil for other crops, which makes them well-adapted for drought prone areas. Healthy Soil, Pulses support a healthy and diverse farm system. They enrich soil health by leaving behind nutrients including nitrogen and beneficial microbes for the next crop. 

6. UN (United Nations) care about pulses because they’re good for the environment and can feed the world. Pulses have a lower carbon footprint than almost any other food groups, are water-efficient (using just one-tenth of the water of other proteins), and enrich the soil where they grow reducing the need for chemical fertilizers that contribute to greenhouse gasses. Pulses- grown in developing countries as well as here in North America – will play a major role in meeting future food needs since the world’s growing population is set to require a 70% increase in agricultural production by 2050. 

Such a great honor in meeting the US Ambassador to The Philippines his excellency Philip S. Goldberg.


 You can also visit the following websites below or watch the video about "Pulses"

 Websites:

USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council - www.pea-lentil.com

US Dry Bean Council  - www.usdrybeans.com

International Year Of the Pulses  - www.iyp2016.org

Pulse Pledge - www.pulsepledge.com

Legume Chef - www.legumechef.com

Cooking With Pulses - www.cookingwithpulses.com

Videos:

Why the time for pulses is now - https://youtu.be/J7r9kFIpsOY

What are pulses - https://youtu.be/hov9krTP9No

Pulses” The Future of Food - https://youtu.be/9UWoIMbJWS8

YouTube Channel- LovePulses


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1 comments:

  1. Unknown8/21/2016 9:30 AM

    Thank you for listing Legumechef in your interesting article about pulses. In our web you will find over 500 recipes with pulses, including desserts. http://www.legumechef.com/en/recipes/

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