Pulses. What are Pulses?

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1 Pulses What are Pulses? Pulses are the seeds of plants belonging to the Leguminosae family which gets its name from the characteristic pod or legume that protects the seeds while they are forming and ripening. When fresh, they are called legumes which include peas, beans and lentils. When peas (piżelli), beans (fażola) and lentils (għatz) seeds are dried, these are called pulses. Beans Lentils: Peas Haricot Beans Eston Class Dry Peas: garden peas, protein pea, cow pea. Pinto Beans Spanish Brown Chickpeas Navy Beans Green Lentils Split Peas Azuki Beans Red Lentils Butter Beans Soya Beans Brown Lentils French Green Kidney Beans Black Gram Scarlet Runner Dry beans are oval, or kidney shaped. Peas are round. Lentils are flat discs. 1

2 Nutritional Content of Pulses Pulses are a valuable source of protein, low in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol free. They are also good sources of fibre, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals including thiamine (B1) riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folate, calcium, potassium, iron and phosphorus. Soya beans contain protein which is of High Biological Value, while the rest contain Low Biological Value protein. Health Benefits of Eating Pulses Pulses and Diabetes: Pulses have a low glycemic index, making them excellent sources of carbohydrate in the diet of those affected by diabetes. Including pulses in the diet helps control blood glucose and insulin levels. Pulses have other health effects, like reducing blood lipids. This may help prevent some serious complications of diabetes. Pulses and Coeliac Disease: Pulses do not contain gluten, therefore people who are coeliac can eat as much of pulses as they like. Uses of Pulses in Meals Pulses are included in meals in a variety of ways: Soups and Stews to thicken and add extra protein, Vegetable Accompaniment served in a sauce with meat and other vegetables, Salads served cold in a dressing or with other vegetable salads, Flour soya are ground into flour or made into other products, Vegetarian Meals main source of protein. Recipe Links: 2

3 Buying and Storing Pulses Pulses must be chosen from shops with a good turnover of stock. This is because as they age, the skin becomes hard, tough and leathery. Pulses are usually bought or ready-cooked in tins. Both forms have a long shelf life. Packets should be in good condition. Tins should not be rusty or blown. Drain tinned beans before use. Store in a cool dry place. Store dried pulses away from direct sunlight. Once a packet of pulses is open, store the remainder in an airtight jar or container. It is best to eat dried pulses as fresh as possible. The older they are, the longer they will take to cook, since they tougher on storage Cooking Pulses All pulses, except lentils, green and yellow split beans, and black-eyed beans should be soaked overnight before cooking, or for 2-3 hours in boiling water, then drained and simmered in fresh water until soft. This should be done without any addition of salt, since it toughens the skins and results in longer cooking. Since pulses contain proteins called lectins, one should avoid eating undercooked pulses, since lectins can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. These proteins can be destroyed by boiling the pulses for about 10 minutes Red Kidney Beans: contain toxins which causes food poisoning. They MUST be boiled rapidly for at least 15 minutes at the beginning of cooking time to make them safe to eat. Maltese Dishes containing Pulses: Soppa tal-armla Bigilla Kusksu Torta tal-irkotta Torta tal-laham Minestra Kawlata 3

4 Nuts Nuts are plant foods: they are edible dried fruits or seeds of plants with a hard shell and tend to grow on trees. One exception is peanuts because they are not true nuts: they are really legumes and grow underground. However, they are grouped with nuts as they share many of their properties. Types of Nuts Pecan Nuts Chest Nuts Brazil Nuts Walnuts Hazel Nut Cashew Nuts Almonds Macadamia Nuts Pistachio Nuts Pine Nuts 4

5 Nutrition Nuts have a varied nutritional content since they come from a variety of plant groups, however, the following nutrients are present in most nut varieties: Good source of LBV protein especially; almonds, cashew nuts and pistachios, High in vitamins: (Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and Vitamin E), High in minerals (Calcium, Iron, Zinc), Good source of fibre and carbohydrates, High in unsaturated fat. Because the protein in nuts are incomplete (it does not give all 8 essential amino acids) vegetarians need to combine it with other foods such as: Legumes Cereal Products Vegetables Nuts can be found in various forms: Availability of Nuts Shelled Whole Chopped Never buy nuts with damp or mouldy patches on their shells. Ground Blanched/Unblanched (Almonds) Flaked (Almonds) 5

6 Including Nuts in the Diet Nuts are often roasted to increase their flavour and make them crunchier. However, one must be careful as they can burn easily due to their high fat content. The following are some ideas of how nuts can be included in meals: Ingredients in cakes, bread and biscuits, Decoration for cakes and biscuits, Garnish for savories, Roasted as a snack, Chopped nuts mixed in pastry dough or crumble topping. Type of nut or seed Pine nuts Hazelnuts Almonds Chestnut Used in cooking Pesto sauce Biscuits and cakes Decorations for cakes and biscuits (paste or flaked) Stuffing Storing Nuts Because they are high in fat, nuts can become easily rancid. It is therefore important to store them correctly and many of them benefit from storage in the fridge or freezer to prevent rancidity. Nuts will keep longer when stored in their shell and stored in a dry well-ventilated place. If removed from the shell, they are to be kept in an airtight container in a cool place such as a refrigerator and away from light. Check that products are stock rotated and that nuts have not been standing on the shelves for a long time. 6

7 Seeds Seeds are also very nutritious and contain unsaturated fats just like nuts as well as mixture of vitamins and minerals. Common edible seeds are: Sunflower Seeds Hemp Seeds Chia Seeds Flax Seeds Sesame Seeds Pumpkin Seeds 7