Why You Should Consume More Pulses

Written by Sophie Pollon-MacLeod (@dr.sophiepm). Sophie is a Toronto-based Naturopathic Doctor who provides an individualized all-encompassing full-body approach to supporting her patients in weight loss, performance, and pain management.

Pulses are dried peas, chickpeas, lentils, and beans. They are a part of the legume family, a major superfood and a staple in most plant-based diets.

Here are the three reasons why pulses should be on your next grocery list.

1. Nutritional content

Pulses are packed with fiber, protein, and micronutrients that support a healthy gut microbiome.

Just one serving of pulses provides:

• 12-16 g of protein
• 7-15 g of fiber 
• 6-12 mg of Iron 
• High amounts of folate, potassium, calcium, and magnesium 

The health benefits of pulses extend beyond their nutritional value. Research has shown that increased dietary consumption of pulses is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. 

If you’re looking to get your fill of pulses, Revive Superfoods has vegan-friendly superfood smoothies and supermeals that are nutrient-dense and contain different pulses. Try the Hazy Coco smoothie or the Buddhacado and Power Pom supermeals! 

2. Environmental impact

Pulses are nitrogen-fixing crops, which means they are good for the environment. In addition, Pulses have a much longer shelf life  than animal protein and fresh produce. Therefore they do not contribute to as much food waste. Pulses are the future of sustainable agriculture!

3. Versatility in the kitchen

Pulses can be used to make a wide variety of meals or even consumed on their own. Revive Superfoods Falafel Pops use chickpeas as a base to give each pop a high fiber and protein content. You can swap out common ingredients for pulses with most meals. For example, swap black beans for beef in burgers, pureed split yellow peas for cheese in mac & cheese, and chickpeas for taco filling. There are many ways to experiment with Pulses! 

Head over to our website to discover some of our most popular cups!

REFERENCES:

• National Library of Medicine – Nutritional and health benefits of pulses
• National Library of Medicine – Associations between Dietary Pulses
• National Library of Medicine – Pulse Crop Genetics for a Sustainable Future
• Pulses