Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-m):

  • You've found your Celiac Tribe! Join our like-minded, private community and share your story, get encouragement and connect with others.

    💬

    • Sign In
    • Sign Up
  • Jefferson Adams

    Have You Eaten Your Pulse Today?

    Jefferson Adams

    By Jefferson Adams •

    0
    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Celiac.com 01/26/2016 - If the folks at the United Nations have their way, Americans and people around the world will soon be enjoying the health and nutritional benefits of the lowly pulse.

    Photo: CC--Wikimedia CommonsFor the unfamiliar, pulses are the dried, edible seeds of legume plants, which include things like pinto beans, kidney beans and navy beans; dry peas; lentils; and others. Throughout the year, the United Nations will be promoting 2016 as the International Year of Pulses.


    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):




    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12-m):



    Pulses are already a well-known food staple outside of the developed world. On average, pulses make up nearly 75 percent of the average diet in developing countries. India is the world's largest producer and the largest consumer of pulses. Pakistan, Canada, Burma, Australia and the United States, in that order, are significant pulse exporters and are India's most significant suppliers. Canada now accounts for approximately 35% of global pulse trade each year.

    With 20-25 percent protein by weight, pulses have twice the protein of quinoa, making them an attractive replacement for meat-based protein. Pulses are also low-water plants, using 90% less water than beef production. Additionally, pulses actually fix nitrogen into the soil, reducing the need for commercial pesticides, and actually improving the soil between crops in fields that once merely laid fallow.

    Furthermore, pulses also happen to be naturally gluten-free. That means that pulses are not only nutritious and environmentally beneficial, but that they are also suitable for people with celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity.

    So, with their high protein, water efficiency, environmental benefits and gluten-free status, pulses are a perfect crop to be promoting across the globe as we move headlong into the 21st century.

    Stay tuned to learn more about pulses and the effort to promote their growth and consumption in the U.S. and beyond.

    Source:

    thinkprogress.org

    0
    Go to articles

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    There are no comments to display.



    Join the conversation

    You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×

  • Join eNewsletter

  • About Me

    Jefferson Adams

    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University, and has authored more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously served as SF Health News Examiner for Examiner.com, and devised health and medical content for Sharecare.com. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of the book "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-m):



  • Related Articles

    Carol Fenster, Ph.D.
    Celiac.com 03/19/2015 - Almost half of Americans eat no whole grains at all and those who do eat them only consume a single serving per day—far below the 3 to 5 daily servings recommended by the USDA. People often tell me, "I might eat more whole grains if I just knew which ones to choose and how to prepare them."
    There are many wholesome, gluten-free grains that add flavor, variety, and texture to our diet and—if you read this article—you'll know which ones to choose and you'll learn some easy ways to prepare them at home.
    A Quick Definition of Whole Grain
    What is a whole grain? Scientists use technical explanations, but to me it me...
    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 10/01/2015 - Nutrilac protein from Arla Food Ingredients (AFI) offers manufacturers a way to make gluten-free products that are indistinguishable from products made with conventional flour, says John Kjaer, global sales manager for bakery at AFI.
    Kjaer points out that the gluten-free trend is huge right now, will only be sustainable if "bakery companies…can make gluten-free bread and cakes that are virtually indistinguishable from their conventional equivalents."
    According to AFI, Nutrilac can be incorporated into standard gluten-free baked goods, and offers gluten-free bakers a similar baking quality to wheat flour, producing an elastic d...
    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 10/30/2015 - Writing for the Times of India, Pooja Makhija has an interesting little article on the various types of flour commonly used in Indian cooking, including a number of gluten-free flours.
    The articles features short descriptions of the various commonly used grain flours, and their characteristics. The article includes flours made from wheat, of course, but the gluten free flours include millet, sorghum, amaranth, rice, soy and quinoa.
    Wheat Flours (Contain Gluten of course!)
    Most of the wheat or atta used in Indian cooking is culled from the semi-hard wheat varieties or durum, including, atta, cracked wheat/lapsi fada and...
    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 12/22/2015 - Kansas wheat farmers are funding genetic research to figure out exactly why some people struggle to digest wheat, and to try to produce an wheat-friendly alternative.
    The Kansas Wheat Commission has put $200,000 toward the first two years of the project, which intends to identify anything in wheat DNA that can trigger an auto-immune reaction in people with celiac disease.
    Ultimately, the project seeks to promote the development new wheat varieties that might be tolerated by celiac sufferers, and meet other gluten-free needs. This, at a time when the market for gluten-free goods has skyrocketed, driven partly by non-celiac...