This World Pulse Day- Let Pulses Keep Your Pulse In Check

Highlights:

World Pulses Day is celebrated worldwide on February 10th to increase awareness about the environmental and nutritional benefits of pulses
"Pulses for a Sustainable Future" is the topic for World Pulses Day in 2023 //
Pulses, often known as legumes, are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family that are farmed for food

A very famous saying goes, "When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no use," and this saying holds a lot of truth to it. Our bodies are like cars, and diet is what keeps them fueled and running; however, when this fuel is insufficient, our bodies fail to carry out the basic tasks of the day.

To acknowledge this important factor of nutrition for our body, one of the most under-appreciated but packed with nutrients is one food that now has its recognition: our very own ‘pulses,’.

Building on the success of Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO's) International Year of Pulses (IYP) in 2016, and recognizing the potential of pulses to help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared February 10th as "World Pulses Day" (WPD).

This festival provides a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enhance public awareness about pulses and the critical role they play in the transition to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems for improved production, nutrition, environment, and a better life for everyone.

FAO seeks to enable the observation of this international day and to support the production and consumption of pulses as part of sustainable food systems and healthy diets, with the cooperation of governments, the corporate sector, Members and partner organizations, the public, and youth ().

Promoting Intake of Nutrient-rich Pulses for Better Health
As a food source, pulses have the potential to offer cost-effective solutions for global nutrition as well as health and sustainability concerns.

‘World Pulses Day is observed annually on February 10th to raise awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses.’

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What are Pulses?

Some may call it daal in their desi ways, or you might find it listed as legumes in those fancy restaurant menus.

Red, green, white, black, or brown, you name it and you have a pulse in it, but what precisely is a pulse, you may wonder? Pulses are a type of legume that is harvested for their dry seeds. Pulses are typically known as beans, lentils, and peas.

But the world of pulses offers so much more! Pulses, which range from lupins to lentils and cowpeas to chickpeas, can astound you with their variety and richness. Pulses are wonder foods for both human and environmental health, whether they have an enticing name like velvet beans or a mysterious one like winged beans. They are an important and relatively inexpensive source of protein.

Pulses Finally Getting the Recognition They Deserves
Pulses are being recognized amidst the pandmic by organisations like USDA because of their various health benefits.

Make Each and Every Meal of your day a Healthy one by Including Pulses in it

Nutrition and the importance of nutrition are widely talked about, but the real question is: even though we know the value of it, do we know how to use it to our maximum benefit?

This is how different parts of the world get their dose of pulses in their bowls.

Tarwi Beans from South America

Tarwi, also known as chocho in Spanish, has almost been forgotten on the international stage, although this nutritious legume has been consistently farmed in the High Andes for over 2,000 years. Tarwi, also known as Andean or Peruvian field lupin, grows mostly at high altitudes in chilly, moderate, and cold regions. It is the only cultivated lupin species in the Americas and has between 41 and 52 percent protein.

Broad Beans in the Middle East

Many people are familiar with chickpea-based dishes such as hummus and falafel. Fewer people may be aware of the Middle Eastern favorites cooked using broad beans, commonly known as fava or faba beans. Broad beans are native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia, but because of their great production and ability to grow in hard, cold regions, they have been farmed throughout the world, from Australia to Peru.

Broad beans were sacrificed to the gods in the ancient Roman Empire to commemorate the feast of Fabaria. Beans were important sources of protein in ancient Egypt and are likely to have been portrayed in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Pulses are still used in everyday cooking today.

A common breakfast in Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria contains full, or "foul Moudammas," a healthful broad bean-based dish.

Mung Bean Cultivation in South Asia

Beans are an important part of everyday life throughout most of Asia. With 30–40% of its population being vegetarian, India has the highest rate of vegetarianism in the world, and pulses are an essential source of protein.

While lentils and chickpeas are more commonly associated with Indian cuisine, the Mung bean, also known as moong or green gram, is also popular, particularly in the north. Beansprouts are small, round, olive-colored beans that are commonly consumed.

Teen Dak Ke Dai Bhalle is a Punjabi dish that combines Mung beans with two different types of beans. They are then spiced and cooked till golden. These fritters may be seen anywhere, from street vendors to posh events.

Black Beans in Latin America and North America

Latin Americans consume the most pulses (34 grams) per person per day in the world. Beans have a long history in Latin American cuisine, dating back to indigenous cuisines such as those of the Incas and Mayas.

Similarly, pulses play an important role in North American cuisine, which is formed by its native and immigrant groups. Pulse recipes abound, from Boston baked beans and Louisiana red beans and rice to Native American-inspired succotash and Tex-Mex bean burritos.

Pulses and grains are frequently presented together in recipes. The complementary amino acids maximize the nutritional value of the dish's protein. Refried beans with corn tortillas are a popular example.

Experts Extol The Benefits Of Beans, Pulses And Legumes
Beans, pulses and legumes can be categorized as either vegetables or proteins under the new USDA dietary guidelines, thus giving them an important role in a person's daily diet.

Let’s Have them the Way you will Like them

Pulses are extremely adaptable cooking items that may be used as a main course or as a side dish to accent even the most intense of flavors. However, as with any new cuisine, convincing the pickiest eaters in the family to try these nutritious beans, peas, and lentils can be challenging at times, but here are some unique ways to disguise those healthy seeds in some delicious food.

Chocolate Mousse

Aquafaba is a new trend in which the liquid of the pulse is used. Most people discard the liquid from canned or soaked beans such as chickpeas. Instead, beat the liquid with almond milk until it thickens to the consistency of whipped cream. Pour in melted chocolate for a decadent chocolate mousse.

Chocolate Cake

To the sugar, oil, and eggs, add a lentil puree (a mixture of pureed lentils and water). Combine with a dry mixture of all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt for a rich, chocolatey cake.

Bread Naan

To prepare naan bread dough, combine bread flour, yellow pea flour, and baby lima bean flour. These flours can be used in a range of gluten-free baking recipes, but they take some getting used to because they lack the viscosity of standard gluten-filled all-purpose flour.

Get your Kids to eat the Pulses

Are you struggling to incorporate pulses into your child’s diet? Don't worry; we have got you covered with some child-friendly tips for getting those pulses in your kid’s bowl.

Begin with the Known

Hummus is a popular chickpea-based dip that many toddlers enjoy. But did you know it can be made with practically any type of cooked pulse? Simply replace the chickpeas in your favorite hummus recipe with cooked lentils or beans.

Remove Mushiness

Many children dislike the "mushy" texture of beans. This can be avoided by using dried beans rather than canned beans, which have a far more appetizing texture. Before cooking with dried beans, soak them overnight.

Take a Hands-on Approach

Borrow a book about how pulses grow from the library or plant your variety of pulses in the backyard to teach your children about where their food comes from. If you can get your kids enthused about the process, they will be much more likely to sample the result.

Have Fun with your Meals

Combine with your favorite soups and sauces.

Beans, peas, and lentils are simple to arrange on a dish to make various designs. Allow your children to construct their plate of pulses by shaping beans into smiling faces or lentils into shooting stars.

Keep some Room for Dessert

Beans are used in many sweets because they have a moderate flavor and can provide richness and moistness to baked dishes. Sweet bean pastes are frequently used in East Asian delicacies such as mooncakes and steamed buns. Make a sweet bean paste from pureed red beans and brown sugar to effortlessly include beans in your desserts. Cooked black beans can also be used in place of eggs in many chocolate cake and brownie recipes, and your children will not notice the difference! ().

The Recipe you could Add your Pulses to

Healthy Moong Dal Tikki

A recipe by cauldronSisters

Makes 20 Tikkis
Time: 25 min.

Ingredients for Healthy Moong Dal Tikki

1 cup split moong dal (wash & boil till cooked)
1 cup of oats
1/2 cup curd
1/2 cup grated onion
1 tbsp roasted besan
1 tsp green chilies, chopped
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
Ghee for roasting

Mix everything and make a dough.
Make small tikkis and roast them on a tawa with ghee.
Serve with fresh green chutney.

Don't be Turned Off by Flatulence when it comes to Eating Pulses

It's a known truth that pulses cause flatulence. Carbohydrate-containing diets can stimulate gas production in the large intestine. Carbohydrates are made up of sugars, fibers, and starch. When our digestive tracts do not entirely digest these carbs, as might happen with pulses, the production of gas increases even more as bacteria in the large intestine break them down.

Here are some helpful hints for reducing flatulence caused by pulses:

After soaking the pulses, discard the used water and replace it with fresh water before cooking. When the water reaches the boiling point, scrape out the froth that forms on the surface.
When using canned pulses, drain the liquid and thoroughly rinse them. Adding ginger, fennel, cumin seeds, and Kombu seaweed to a meal may help you avoid pairing them with other gas-producing foods like onions, garlic, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower (especially if these are raw).
Cook pulses for long periods (slow cooker recipes for soups), and if they still bother you, you can buy a natural enzyme to take before eating them.

This World Pulses Day, let's fill our bowls with the right amount of pulses to make every day of your life a healthy and happy one.

References:

World Pulses Day | 10 February - (https://www.fao.org/world-pulses-day/en/)
How to get kids to eat pulses - (https://www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1126738/)

Source-Medindia