Beans are trending. At least for consumers, legume products are in the news and social channels often — and for good reason.
They bring a host of dietary superpowers to the consumers who eat them as well as to the farms that grow them.
In a recent webinar hosted by the Northern Crops Institute, Chelsea Didinger worked to share awareness on the benefits of legumes in an effort to advance public and environmental health.
“Pulses play such an important role across the food system,” Didinger explained. “Bottom line, pulses are really good for us, they’re really good for the environment, and we aren’t eating enough of them.”
Pulse crops include dry edible beans such as pinto, kidney, navy, lima, fava and black beans. In addition, lentils, peas and chickpeas all fall into this category.
According to Northern Pulse Growers, pulses can naturally fix atmospheric nitrogen and enrich the soil for future crops in the Dakotas and Montana while reducing the need for nitrogen applications.
Pulse agronomics
“One of the big benefits is what [pulses] do for soil health,” Didinger said. “People often talk about how pulses can fix nitrogen, but there’s also the soil health aspect of a crop rotation.”
Rotating crops is nothing new, but adding a pulse crop into the mix might offer some solutions depending on the farm.
“Pulses can help break a disease or pest pressure in a rotation. They’re highly water efficient, so they require a lot less water than other crops,” Didinger explained. “A lot of places have been very dry this year, so those water-efficient crops are important.”
Pulse crops play a large role in addressing food security, health conditions such as obesity and diabetes, and sustainable agriculture due to their ability to fix nitrogen and free soil-bound phosphorous.
A North Dakota State University Extension specialist shared that the suitability of pulses for the soil and climate of the Dakotas means they represent a key area of further research.
New varieties, including the ND Dawn yellow field pea and ND crown chickpea, serve as an accomplishment of the NDSU Extension research and breeding program. NDSU continues to study and develop high-protein, climate-resilient, specialty types that are disease resistant, as well as phenotyping, using aerial systems and robotics.
Montana and North Dakota are the two highest-producing pulse crop states in the nation. The crops are adaptable to a wide range of soil types, especially with fertile, well-drained fields.
Though they can be impacted by diseases just like other crops, maintaining a close relationship with an agronomist should make managing such issues easier.
Marketing benefits
New market opportunities with small-pack pulse products and increased demand for plant-based protein have encouraged an increase in planting such crops in the Northern Plains. Especially in times of high input prices, pulse crops can bring relief to farm costs due to their lower input needs.
While not used as often for livestock feed, the pet food market is a booming opportunity for pulse crops. They are free of allergens, benefiting pets or humans with wheat, corn or soy allergies, and bring protein and fiber powers to the table.
Pulse crops experience about a 50/50 split, with about 50% staying in markets within the U.S. for processing, while the other 50% are typically exported. Traditionally, India has been the No. 1 consumer of pulses in the world, but that market is diversifying.
The Northern Crops Institute in Fargo, N.D., presents courses with food industry professionals around the world, exploring new ways to use pulses and dry beans in food products. International reach through such programs offers opportunities to develop products, influence ingredient decisions and create new demand.
NCI’s role becomes incredibly valuable to producers, bringing food companies, technical experts, buyers and international customers directly to the region where many of these crops are grown.
NCI is a collaborative effort involving North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota and Minnesota. It works to expand domestic and international markets for northern-grown crops.
Top-notch nutrition
The part that matters most to consumers is the wide array of health benefits that come from pulses.
“They are one of the most nutrient-dense foods, and one thing that is really special about them is they are high in fiber and protein,” Didinger said. “That’s rare for a food to be high in both. They have bioactive compounds — those phytonutrients, micronutrients, folate, potassium, magnesium [and] iron — and they’re low in fat.”
Pulse crops, which contain no cholesterol and are free of gluten, assist in stabilizing blood sugar and bring nutritional benefits to many individuals who may not be able to consume all food groups.
“The list is just really impressive for the benefits that pulses provide,” Didinger explained. “A lot of countries in the world have what is called the fiber gap. Pulses are a great way to fill that.”
Didinger cited research that looked at swapping certain food types in the average human diet with pulses.
“If we replace refined grains like white rice with something like pulses, let’s see what happens,” she said. “[By substituting] a little bit less refined grains and switching some to pulses, we see increased fiber, magnesium [and] copper by at least 10%. There are powerful nutritional benefits by just adding a little bit more pulses.”
The study found that adding 1 cup of cooked pulses per day was enough to increase overall diet quality by up to 20%.
“That’s a huge improvement in diet quality, just from adding one type of food,” Didinger said. “There are so many ways to add pulses to the diet.”
From falafel waffles, baked beans and lentil smoothie bowls to chickpea alfredo and black bean burgers, the options to add pulses to the diet are endless.
If you’re looking to break into a new market, improve soil health or boost your fiber content, pulse crops might just be the solution you’re looking for.