Huffington post-
Britain is waking up to its obesity issues. Currently in the UK, three in ten adults are overweight, and run a higher risk of developing diabetes, cancer and heart disease. To combat this, a string of initiatives have recently been launched by the UK government. A tax on sugary drinks and a review of fast-food advertising aimed at children are among the strategies being implemented and discussed.
But is enough being done to ensure more nutritious, convenient and affordable foods are on offer to consumers? How can we stop consumers reaching for that packet of crisps when hunger strikes? This is one of the questions the Global Pulse Confederation asked when it launched a worldwide competition to find the best new recipes, featuring the underutilized pulse family.
Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family, which include dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas and lentils. Pulses have been hailed as a new “superfood” since they are high in protein, dietary fibre and antioxidants yet low in fat and gluten-free. However, per capita consumption of pulses has stagnated in recent years. When searching for a food that will bring down obesity and heart disease levels, pulses are a fantastic option, so we need to find fresh and exciting ways to incorporate them into our daily diets.
My entry – which won first place in the global virtual competition – is a healthier alternative to that go-to snack, a packet of crisps. And I did it using an ingredient I imagine most UK consumers have never heard of: lupins.
Lupins are cultivated in the Mediterranean region, and belong to the pulse family. Thanks to this wonder crop, the Hand Baked Lupin Bites that I have created are high in protein, fibre and minerals, but surprisingly low in fat and calories. They are also gluten-free, and promote satiety, meaning they will make you feel fuller for longer.
This week, I will join the other winners of the LovePulses Product Showcase at the Institute of Food Technologists Expo in Chicago, where we will pitch our products to potential investors and retailers. Participants will share their products made from a range of pulses – from savoury snacks to sweet treats.
Eating pulses isn’t just good for you, it’s good for the planet as well. The natural resource bases our agriculture sector relies on are under unprecedented pressure. Land and water are becoming scarce, and agriculture is also being urged to do its bit to reduce global greenhouse gases. Growing pulses are a sustainable option for farmers looking to contribute to a healthier planet. For example, pulses need 20 times less water than animal products to grow. They also help nitrogen accumulate in soil, making it more fertile for other crops to grow in the same soil afterwards. Futhermore, pulses have been shown to emit hardly any greenhouse gases.
Tackling food waste is another added benefit of Hand Baked Lupin Bites. In addition to 60% lupin flour, we also use potato starch in the recipe. This by-product from the potato processing industry is often wasted, but Hand Baked Lupin Bites can make use of it. Each year 1.3bn tonnes of food, about a third of all that is produced, is wasted. That includes about 45% of all fruit and vegetables. Finding ways to utilise the whole food is going to be key to tackling this issue that is putting even more pressure on our planet.
Blooming Food has far exceeded my original objectives to plan and complete a successful research project. It has evolved into the opportunity to produce an on trend commercially viable product with wide appeal in the modern food market. I hope to launch Hand Baked Lupin Bites into retailers across the UK and even internationally; leading to both healthier people, and a healthier planet.