Food and Nutrition - Alimentation et Nutrition
Pulse Innovation Project - Projet d'innovation des légumineuses
Pulse Canada currently has an initiative underway called the Pulse Innovation Project (PIP). With funding under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Agricultural Policy Framework, the objective of the PIP is to develop new opportunities for beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas in the North American food market. For more information on the PIP, please see the following document.
Le Projet d'innovation (PIP) est une initiative de l'industrie canadienne de légumineuses, appuyée par Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada sur trois ans, qui a pour but de développer des opportunités dans le marché alimentaire Nord Américain, misant sur les bénéfices nutritionelles des légumineuses. Pour plus d'informations, voir le document ci-dessous.
PIP Brochure
Brochure PIP (Français)
Nutrition
Pulses are an excellent food choice with health-promoting benefits. Their nutritional composition includes complex carbohydrates (e.g. fibre, resistant starch, oligosaccharides), vegetable protein, important vitamins and minerals like folate and iron as well as antioxidants and only very small amounts of fat. All support a healthy diet.Pulses have about twice the protein content of cereal grains and are also high in complex carbohydrates including fibre. In fact, a one-cup serving of pulses provides almost half of the daily amount of fibre recommended for Canadians. Increased dietary intake of high fibre foods like pulses is important for North Americans who currently consume less than half of the recommended amount. Pulses also have a low glycemic index which results in slower digestion. This makes pulses a valuable food choice for people with diabetes as well as those at risk for both diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Research suggests that regular dietary intake of pulses can reduce serum cholesterol and triglycerides and can also reduce the risk of developing nutrition-related health problems including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Food Products
Key components in pulses like soluble and insoluble fibre, resistant starch and protein and the functional properties of these components make pulses suitable for a wide range of food product applications. Pulses also have a low glycemic index and are gluten-free.Whole pulses are available as whole dry seeds, in the form of flour, or processed (canned, frozen or pre-cooked). The fibre, starch and protein fractions from yellow peas are also commercially available.
Innovative food products made from pulses are making their way onto grocery store shelves, including gluten-free breads made with bean flour, gluten-free cookies containing pea starch, fibre and protein, peanut free "pea-butter" made from yellow peas, and high protein pasta that contains with chickpea and lentil flour.
