Exploring Beans and Pulses for the Menu

Pulses are a food group comprised of beans, peas and lentils. They are highly nutritious and a great source of complex carbohydrates, fibre, protein, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and zinc. They are low in fat and have no cholesterol. Therefore they are beneficial for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes and heart diseases. Their protein-rich content also make them a firm favourite among vegetarians or anyone looking for alternatives to meat. The largest producers and consumers of pulses in the world are India and Pakistan. The various types of pulses include green, yellow and brown lentils, black eyed peas, garden peas, runner beans, chickpeas, broad beans, kidney beans and butter beans. The names of the pulses and beans are usually very descriptive of their shape, colour or crop condition. For instance the chickpeas are so named because they have a shape of a beak resembling that of a baby chick. They are also called garbanzo bean, borrowing the Spanish word garbanzo. Other pulses whose names describe them are lentils, so named because they are lens-shaped seeds

When it comes to shopping for pulses and beans in supermarkets, one can easily find canned and dried pulses to choose from. The canned pulses are a quick and ready choice as they only need to be heated for consumption or added directly to salads for a cold meal. However, one has to watch out for excessive sugar and salt content by reading the ingredients carefully on the tin. The dried pulses need to be soaked in water and cooked until they are tender before eating. In particular dry kidney beans and soy beans contain a natural toxin called called lectin which causes stomach pains and vomiting.The process of destroying the toxins is rigorous and includes soaking the beans for 12 hours and then cooking and simmering them for hours. As a rule of thumb, cooking times vary according to various types of pulses and how old they are therefore it is advisable to follow the cooking instructions on the packet or in the cooking book. In spite of proper and thorough preparation, pulses and beans should be eaten infrequently by people who have flatulence or stomach-gas problems. Cooked pulses can be stored in the fridge or freezer after they cool off while dried pulses can be stored for a period of six months to one year if kept in a dry, dark and airtight container. However, as mentioned earlier it is best to eat them as soon as possible, as they toughen on storage and then take longer to cook. Pulses and beans are available all year round at the supermarkets or online. Overall, pulses and beans have many dietary properties, are very economical and easy to acquire which is the reason why they are a staple food for many people around the world.