http://www.fao.org/pulses-2016/en/ Pulses have important benefits for human health and nutrition. They are a critical source of plant-based proteins and amino acids, and there is an association between consumption of pulses and reduced risk of obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, components of metabolic syndrome and cancer. © FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. Pulses for
nutrition and
health
Ruth Charrondiere, Raíssa do Vale,
Fernanda Grande

2. What are pulses?
• Annual leguminous crops yielding from one to 12 grains
or seeds of variable size, shape and colour within a pod.
• Used for both food and feed
• The term "pulses" is limited to crops harvested solely for
dry grain, thereby excluding crops harvested green for
food (green peas, green beans, etc.) which are classified
as vegetable crops.
• Also excluded are those crops used mainly for oil
extraction (e.g. soybean and groundnuts) and
leguminous crops (e.g. seeds of clover and alfalfa) that
are used exclusively for sowing purposes.
• They include bambara beans; dry beans (e.g. kidney,
adzuki, black gram, sword, winged, hyacinth, yam); dry
broad beans; dry horse beans; chick peas; dry cow peas;
lentils; lupins; dry peas; pigeon peas; and vetches.
Source: FAO, 2015. Available on: http://www.fao.org/pulses-2016/en/
Source: Pulse Canada

3. Pulses are part of may traditional diets

4. Why are they important?
• Pulse crops such as lentils, beans, peas and chickpeas are an important source
of plant-based proteins and amino acids for humans and animals. They also
provide other important nutrients;
• Pulses play as part of sustainable food production aimed towards food security
and nutrition. They are part of a healthy diet to address all forms of
malnutrition
• Pulses are thought to have positive effects on the prevention of non-
communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, coronary conditions and
cancer
• Pulses are recommended in many dietary guidelines such as Health Canada’s
Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide, the MyPlate system of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Eatwell Plate of the Food Standards
Agency in the UK and Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Living Pyramid
• Pulses are an important part of vegetarian diets and are often used as meat
replacement. They are therefore contributing positively to climate change.
Source: UN, 2014. Available on: http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/68/231&Lang=E

5. World production
Source: FAOSTAT, 2015

6. Food supply of pulses – World and Regions
Source: FAOSTAT, 2015
Food supply quantity – pulses (kg/capita/yr)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
1961
1963
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1975
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
kg
Year
World
Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe
Oceania

10. Nutrient profile (per 100g EP)
Pulse
Energy
(kcal) kJ
Protein
(g)
Fat (g)
CHOAV
L (g)
Dietary
Fiber (g)
Fe (mg) Zn (mg) Folate(mcg)
Lentils,
dried, raw#
(351)1485 24.6 1.1 55.3 10.7 6.51 3.3 479
Beans, white,
dried*
(335)1420 22.1 1.5 47.1 16.7 5.7 3.8 395
Cowpea,
dried, raw
(316)1340 21.2 1.3 47.2 15.3 7.3 4.6 417
Chickpeas,
mature
seeds, raw#
(378)1580 20.5 6.0 50.7 12.2 4.3 2.8 557
Beans, pinto,
mature
seeds, raw#
(347)1340 21.4 1.2 47.0 15.5 5.1 2.3 525
Bean,
carioca, raw
**
(329)1377 20.0 1.3 42.8 18.4 8.0 2.9 -
Source: * West African Food Composition Table, 2012; #USDA, 2014; **TACO, 2011.

11. Importance in human nutrition - Composition
• High protein content in their structure and significant importance in terms of
nutrition source;
• The amino acid composition of pulses are complementary to those of cereals,
and if consumed in combination, increase the overall protein quality of the
meal;
• High content of fibre and relatively high amylose starch and antinutrients
(phytic acid)
• Low fat content and no cholesterol;
• Low glycemic index;
• Rich in minerals (iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc) and B-
vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, and folate).
• The high iron content contributes to meeting iron requirements
• However, phytate is negatively impacting on the mineral absorption
• Produce flatulance because of the oligosaccharide content
Campos-Vega et al., 2010; Kalogeropoulos, 2010; Curran, 2012

12. Importance in human nutrition – Health
benefits
• Association between consumption of pulses and reduced risk of
obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, components of
metabolic syndrome and cancer;
• Pulses may help to increase satiety and weight loss (fibres, trypsin
inhibitors and lectins may reduce food intake by facilitating and
prolonging cholecystokinin secretion)
• Dietary fibre and resistant starch of pulses have been shown to alter
energy expenditure, substrate trafficking and fat oxidation as well as
visceral adipose deposition
• The high amounts of insoluble fibre found in pulses has shown to
improve colon health, helping to prevent colon-rectal cancer
• Phytonutrients, including antioxidants, found in pulses may have
anti-cancer properties;
Alekel et al., 2000; Anderson &Major, 2002 ; Smith et al., 2012; Hutchins et al., 2012; Marinangele & Jones, 2012; Dahl et al., 2012

13. Authorative Food composition Databases on Pulses
First step - Collection of analytical data
• To be published in the FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Database for
Biodiversity and in the FAO/INFOODS Analytical Food Composition
Database
• Over 22000 scientific articles identified which need to be evaluated
and relevant data to be compiled into the databases. Data from other
sources to be received, e.g. Pulses Canada
• Two species already evaluated:
• velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) 200 articles evaluated
• and yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L.) 45 articles evaluated
• and are being compiled
Second step – Global User Database
• Develop a user database with a complete nutrient profile of 28
nutrients and amino acids

14. FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Database for
Biodiversity -BioFoodComp
Foods counting for
biodiversity:
• foods below species level, i.e.
subspecies, variety/cultivar/breed
level (genetics)
• underutilized foods
• wild foods
Foods cover 11 food groups:
Cereals, starchy roots and tubers,
legumes, nuts and seeds,
vegetables, fruits, meat and
poultry, eggs, fish and shellfish,
milk, and miscellaneous; pulses in
the future
• About 6500 foods and
>65000 data points
• About 450 food
components
Number of
food entries
Version 1.0 (2010) 2401
Version 1.1 (2011) 2577
Version 2.0 (2012) 6411
Version 2.1 (2013) 6497

15. Possible uses of the Food composition Databases on Pulses
• Promote pulses, incl. ‘forgotten’ pulses, for their nutritional
contribution and thus increase their consumption
• probably after some agriculture research aiming to decrease negative features
such as high cooking time or high phytate content
• by adding processing, e.g. production of pulse flour, for urban settings
• Identify data gaps and fill them
• Collect recipes and publish a recipe book or fact sheets including
their nutrient values. Organizing pulses fairs with tasting of
different recipes (with NVs)
• Emphasis role of pulses in school nutrition, complementary
feeding, healthy diets, meat-free days

16. Thank you for your attention