Pulses

ost people have never heard of a pulse in its food-related context, but in addition to the number of times your heart beats in a minute, it is also the name we use to describe the dried seed of a legume (which group includes foods you're probably more familiar with - beans, lentils and peas). Legumes are pods that split open when ripe to reveal their seeds. Many legumes, like green peas and fava beans, can be eaten fresh, but I want to focus on the varieties of dried pulses that are most common, such as kidney, black, pinto, white and garbanzo beans, as well as lentils and split peas.

Make all the jokes you want about beans being the "musical fruit," but be warned: beans are seriously healthful. Dried beans are the best source of antioxidants in our diet, with red beans offering more antioxidants than wild blueberries! In fact, in a recent ranking of the best sources of food antioxidants, the top five foods were (1) small red beans (dried), (2) wild blueberries, (3) red kidney beans (dried), (4) pinto beans and (5) cultivated blueberries. Their impressive antioxidant scores translate to big health benefits to us. Pulses contain compounds that can help protect against breast and colon cancers, lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure, control blood sugar, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Actually, only part of the health benefits provided by pulses come from antioxidants; a lot also comes from their fiber content. Pulses are high in soluble fiber, which can help to significantly reduce cholesterol levels. Their insoluble fiber can aid in the prevention of colon cancer and promote regular bowel function. The total fiber content is great for diabetics and others who wish to control their blood sugar, since beans cause a slow, steady rise in blood sugar rather than a quick spike and drop, like some other carbohydrate-containing foods. A half cup of cooked beans supplies anywhere from 5 to 8 grams of dietary fiber. An important way that pulses protect against heart disease in general is by acting as a protein substitute for fatty animal proteins, like beef and pork. They contain no saturated fat, but have up to double the amount of iron and a lot more fiber than steak.

At Gelson's, pulses are available in dry, canned, and cooked forms. Some of the most common types include pinto, black, kidney, cannellini, navy, garbanzo, butter and great northern beans, lentils, split peas, black-eyed peas, peanuts, and soybeans. Most dry beans need to be soaked for several hours before cooking, but lentils and split peas do not. Canned beans are a very convenient alternative to dry beans, but if you do then try to buy reduced-sodium varieties and then rinse them in a colander to remove 30-40% more salt. Look for cooked lentils in our produce department and cooked soy beans in the freezer case. When buying dried beans, you want them to be of uniform size and shiny color to ensure freshness and even cooking. To prepare dried beans, spread them on a pan or towel and pick out any stones or debris, transfer them to a colander and rinse under cold running water. Most beans, except lentils and split peas, require soaking. You can do this overnight or, to reduce soaking time to about an hour or two, boil water in a large pot and add the cleaned beans so that the water covers the beans by two inches, then cover the pot and allow the beans to double in size. Discard the soaking water and then follow the cooking directions in whatever recipe you are using. It's important to throw out the soaking water before you cook, since many of the gas-forming compounds get leached into that liquid. To further reduce flatulence, try eating just 1/2-cup of pulses at a time and avoid serving other gas-forming foods, such as cabbage-family vegetables, at the same meal. Chew 1/2 teaspoon of fennel or coriander seeds after meals or try an over-the-counter gas reliever before a bean meal to prevent gas. Use legumes in soups, chili, stews, dips, salads, vegetable patties, burritos, and side dishes. This month, try my recipes for Roasted Garbanzo Snacks and Red Bean Tagine.