Pulses definitely deserve the title of a superfood, as not only are they loaded with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, but they are also sustainable, affordable and versatile. If that doesn’t convince you, here are a few more reasons why good things really do come in small packages:
- You can get 9 grams of protein from ½ cup of cooked lentils.
- Helping lower your risk of heart disease, pulses have 3 times more fibre than brown rice.
- Consuming ½ cup of black beans will give you more iron than a 3 ounce flank steak.
- Having a lower carbon footprint than almost any other food group, you are also keeping the environment a little healthier.
- Need more antioxidants in your diet? Add some red kidney beans to your salad to get your daily dose
So how to get more of them into your diet?
- Swap out half your ground meat in a chilli for black or kidney beans. This not only cuts the saturated fat down but it also increases the fibre,
- Thicken your soups with pureed white beans instead of cream.
- If you’re one to grab a packet of crisps/chips as a snack, make your own with chickpeas. Toss in your favourite spices or just simple salt and pepper, then bake them at 200 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.