Pulses are edible seeds that grow in pods. They include a huge variety of beans, peas and lentils such as baked beans, red, green, yellow and brown lentils, black eyed peas, garden peas, runner beans, chickpeas, broad beans, kidney beans and butter beans.
Nutrition
Pulses are a brilliant low fat source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals and they count as a portion of fruit and veg - a portion is three heaped tablespoons. They don't count for more than one portion a day though, mo matter how many times you eat them because you need to get a variety of vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables as well.
Pulses also count as a starchy food and add fibre to your meal. The fibre found in pulses may help lower blood cholesterol so they are also good for your heart.
Pulses are a good source of iron, but it's best to eat them with food or drinks rich in vitamin C, such as peppers or orange juice. The type of iron found in pulses is called ‘non-haem' iron and it's harder for your body to absorb than iron in meat. Vitamin C helps with absorption of non-haem iron.
Healthy suggestions with pulses
Pulses are a great way to bulk up dishes such as casseroles, or to use as a meat substitute, for example in chilli. This has two benefits - lowering the fat content and making a cheaper dish!
Cooking and preparing pulses
You can buy pulses dried or tinned.
Dried pulses need to be soaked according to the instructions before cooking to make them tender for eating. This is particularly important for kidney and soya beans as they contain toxins, so need to be prepared and cooked properly.
Tinned pulses are very handy to have in your cupboard as they are already soaked and cooked so can be added straight to dishes. If you buy tinned pulses, choose those without added water or sugar, or give them a good rinse before using.