Our Mission

Promote their
Qualities and Benefits

Our Mission

Inform Consumers
About their Qualities

Our Mission

Communicate their
Nutritional Values

Our Mission

Collaborate with Working
Groups to influence Consumption

Our Mission

Inform on its
Ways of Preparation

Pulses the Future of Food

Alliance Pulses for Health

Alianza Leguminosas

WHAT’S THE PULSES FOR HEALTH ALLIANCE?

Pulses have fed millions of people around the world for centuries along with cereals. They are great tasting, nutritious and affordable foods. Unfortunately, their use in recent years has declined considerably, which is why the UN General Assembly (United Nations) declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses and February 10 as the International Day of Pulses because it is necessary to revalue the importance of these seeds for human beings.

Nutritional education is essential in rescuing the consumption of these seeds, however, it is not enough, it is also necessary to develop projects and foods that involve these crops. A greater use of pulses is essential to reduce malnutrition, improve lifestyle and quality of life and thus benefit their producers and the environment.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEGUMES AND PULSES?

Legumes are plants that have pods, inside of which is the product-fruit. After harvesting, they are dried and these seeds are known as pulses, so this is the correct term when we refer to lentils, beans, peas and dried chickpeas, although colloquially we use both words interchangeably. Because of their low water content, they can be stored for a long time without losing nutrients. This classification does not include green seeds, which are called vegetables, or soybeans and peanuts, which, although they also grow in pods because of their high fat content, are considered oleaginous legumes.

Alianza Leguminosas

TYPES OF PULSES

There are countless pulses all over the world, of different sizes, colors, and varieties. The most popular are:

  • Lentils are small round seeds. Some popular types are Verdina, Pardina, Beluga, Red Chief, Ura Dad, Verde du Puy, Crimson are differentiated by their colors, among which you can find white, black, green, orange and yellow and cooking times between these are variable.
  • Beans, their shape is elongated or "kidney-shaped" and around the world there are 150 types of a great variety of sizes and colors. Among the most consumed are black, pinto, kidney, red and pink.
  • Peas are round and small, there are two main types, green or yellow, and can be eaten either whole or in halves.
  • Chickpeas are round and have a beak due to the relief of the raicilla. Some varieties are the Desi type (cultivated mainly in India), Gulabi and Kabuli (cultivated in Central and South America).