The first-ever World Pulses Day took place on 10 February 2019. This date will now be known as World Pulses Day every year going forward. As we have all learnt by now, pulses include dry peas, lentils, chickpeas and beans. Pulses are nutritious and sustainable sources of plant-based protein, a staple food for a healthier diet and planet.
People’s quest for alternative protein is driving innovation across several categories involving pulses, backed-up by a rise in vegan and vegetarian trends and an overall growth in meat-free food. People want products with alternative sources of protein as they turn away from traditional meat sources. People also want to focus on protein and fibre content, sugar reduction and weight management.
But let’s not only look at our own health and diet but rather the levels of malnutrition around the world, which are still unacceptably high. Ending global malnutrition is within our reach. In fact, we have never been better placed to do it, as we have more knowledge and more data than ever before. But we must act now if we are to prevent a reversal in the progress that has already been made and this will require some critical steps to tackle the challenges we face.
The Global Nutrition Report is the world’s foremost account on the status of malnutrition around the world. Each year it acts as a stock take on the world’s nutrition globally, regionally and country by country, as well as on efforts to improve it. It tracks progress on global nutrition targets, ranging from diet-related non-communicable diseases to maternal, infant and young child nutrition.
Pulses are the answer!
AGT Foods Africa produces a full range of pulses and specialty crops including lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans and as well as food ingredients such as pulse flours, proteins, starches and fibres and spices.
Here is a delicious recipe from AGT Food’s World Pulse Day event:
The Great Canadian salad
Ingredients 1 cup (250 ml) cooked black beans 1 cup (250 ml) cooked green lentils 1 cup (250 ml) cooked chickpeas 1 ½ cups (375 ml) cooked pearl barley 1 bunch baby spinach ½ cup (125 ml) dried cranberries, chopped 2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely sliced green onion Dressing ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil 1 tbsp (30 ml) whole grain mustard Salt and ground black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Caption: Celebrating the value of pulses at a function hosted in Johannesburg by AGT Foods Africa on 13 February 2019 in honour of World Pulses Day.
L-R: Brian Lever, Managing Director AGT Foods with Keith Banerjee, First Secretary and Trinidad Makunike, Trade Commissioner of the High Commission of Canada.
