Health Benefits and
Nutrition Facts
Pulses are nutrition powerhouses, loaded with protein, complex carbohydrates like fibre and starch, iron, folate and other vitamins and minerals!
|
per 100 g cooked |
Protein |
Fat |
Fibre |
Iron |
Magnesium |
Potassium |
Zinc |
Calcium |
Folate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
(about ½ cup/125 mL) |
(g) |
(g) |
(g) |
(mg) |
(mg) |
(mg) |
(mg) |
(mg) |
(mcg) |
|
Split Peas |
8.3 |
0.4 |
8.4 |
1.3 |
36 |
362 |
1.0 |
14 |
65 |
|
Lentils |
9.0 |
0.4 |
8.9 |
3.3 |
36 |
369 |
1.3 |
19 |
181 |
|
Chickpeas |
8.9 |
2.6 |
8.7 |
2.9 |
48 |
291 |
1.5 |
49 |
172 |
|
Pinto Beans |
9.0 |
0.7 |
9.0 |
2.1 |
50 |
436 |
1.0 |
46 |
172 |
|
Great Northern Beans |
8.3 |
0.5 |
7.0 |
2.1 |
50 |
391 |
0.9 |
68 |
102 |
|
Black Beans |
8.7 |
0.5 |
7.0 |
2.1 |
70 |
355 |
1.1 |
27 |
149 |
|
Faba (Fava) Beans |
7.6 |
0.4 |
6.2 |
1.5 |
43 |
268 |
1.0 |
36 |
104 |
Source: Canadian Nutrient File and Pulse Canada, 2022
Improving your diet is easy when you add dried peas, beans, lentils, and chickpeas into your meals. Rich in many nutrients — including protein, fibre, iron, folate, and potassium — pulses are low in fat and cholesterol-free, making them a nutritious option as both a protein and starch alternative.
Canada’s Food Guide encourages Canadians to eat a variety of healthy foods every day. Using a dinner plate visual, the food guide recommends that Canadians eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, about 1/2 of your plate, whole grain foods, about 1/4 of your plate and protein foods, about 1/4 of your plate. The guide also recommends to “choose protein foods that come from plants more often” which is where pulses fit in!
Delicious and budget-friendly, pulses are a nutritious choice for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets. These superfoods, which grow all across the Canadian prairies, are also recommended as part of a healthy diet for diabetes, heart health and weight management.
Following a vegetarian or vegan diet is more than eating vegetables! A well-balanced vegetarian or vegan diet should include dried peas, beans, lentils, and chickpeas. The protein and most of the vitamins and minerals in pulses are interchangeable with those found in animal sources of protein, making pulses an important part of a plant based diet.
Pulses are the perfect protein alternative for vegetarian or vegan diets and those who are interested in increasing their intake of plant protein. Combining pulses with grains creates a high-quality complete protein, which is sometimes lacking in a vegetarian or vegan diet. Some examples of this are beans and rice or hummus and pita.
Pulses are also an excellent source of iron. To best absorb the iron, eat pulses with vitamin C-rich foods. Some examples might be bell pepper dipped in hummus or a sweet potato and lentil salad.
Dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas fit nicely within a gluten-free diet. As naturally gluten-free foods, pulses offer complex carbohydrates, fibre, B-vitamins, iron, and potassium — nutrients that may be low in a gluten-free diet.
While whole pulses make the perfect addition to a variety of dishes, pulse flours provide an excellent option to mix with other gluten free flours, such as brown rice and potato flour. An added bonus of choosing pulse flours over other alternatives is their higher protein, vitamin, and fibre content. Pulse flours can be found in the baking, natural foods or specialty foods section of the grocery store as well as health food and bulk food stores and through specialty suppliers.
Dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas are an important part of a nutritious diet for people with diabetes. Pulses are very high in fibre, including soluble fibre and resistant starch. After eating a meal containing pulses, blood sugars will rise slowly, while most other carbohydrate-rich foods increase blood sugars more quickly than pulses.
Pulses have more than healthy complex carbohydrates. They are high in protein — which can help maintain blood sugars between meals — potassium, and many other vitamins and minerals. Pulses are also low in fat and saturated fat and, as a plant-based food, have no cholesterol. For lower sodium options, use dried pulses and no salt added canned pulses.
When people with diabetes consume 1/2 cup (125 mL) of pulses per day with a high-fibre or a low glycemic index diet, long-term blood glucose control improves. When pulses are included in a diet for people with diabetes, the blood tests for HbA1c (the test for blood sugar levels over time) are about 0.48% lower than if pulses are not included. This is similar to the benefit of medication to lower blood sugars for type 2 diabetes.
Pulses can also help heart health and may have a role in weight management, both of which may be part of a prescribed diabetes management program.
Studies have shown that pulses may play an important role in a heart healthy diet.
Packed with nutrients that contribute to heart health, including fibre, folate and potassium, pulses reduce LDL blood cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and slightly lower total blood cholesterol levels. The fibre in pulses may also help lower blood cholesterol by preventing cholesterol absorption in the gut.
Pulses are low in fat, including saturated and trans fats and, as a plant-based food, contain no cholesterol. For lower sodium options, use dried pulses or no salt added canned pulses.
Looking for nutritious foods that will leave you feeling full? Try adding pulses like dried peas, beans, chickpeas, and lentils,to your meals and snacks! These superfoods are both naturally high in fibre and a rich source of protein — two nutrients that create satisfying meals and snacks that may help with weight management.
Pulses are low in fat and saturated fats and, as for all plant-based foods, are cholesterol-free. They are rich sources of many nutrients including fibre, folate, iron, and potassium.
Including pulses in your diet is easier than you think.
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