More peas please!

Sunday 10 February is the first ever World Pulses Day, celebrating all things beans, peas and lentils across the globe. We're singing the praises of the humble pea - often overlooked as a legume - peas are an easy and tasty way of upping your veggie and legume intake.

Peas are packed full of essential nutrients to help maintain our health, including fibre - just 1/2 cup of peas provides us with a fifth of our daily fibre intake.

1 cup of legumes provides us with... World Pulses Day website

Fresh, frozen or dried, there's a recipe to suit, so give peas a chance this World Pulses Day and take inspiration from our 10 ways with peas...

1. Add a sprinkle of green peas to your pasta

2. Pep up your salad and add some fresh green peas for a summery feel

3. Smash those peas and use to top your toast!

4. Pack your stir-fry with a pea punch

5. Easy peasy dip made easy!

6. Colour your breakfast with green by adding to your omelette!

7. No avocados? No problem! Try guacamole-pea by using fresh green peas for a light alternative

8. Looking for something different to try for a lazy brunch this weekend? Then why not give pea pancakes a bash?

9. Snack happy on yummy and crunchy roasted peas

10. Add to a frittata for a quick and fuss free reciPEA!

We recommend eating 1/2 cup of legumes 2-3 times a week to benefit from all the nutrients legumes provide. However you celebrate World Pulses Day this weekend, add a handful of beans, peas or lentils to your dish and enjoy! 

For more ways to enjoy legumes like black beans, chickpeas and legumes, read our article here.

The top four food trends for 2019...

With 2019 well underway, we've taken a look at some of the biggest trends affecting grains and legumes this year...

1. Digestive Wellness

Digestive wellness is once again the number one trend for the coming year and with good reason. Emerging research, media attention and consumer demand is driving this trend, with prebiotics and fibre leading the way for innovation.

Pushing the fibre trend, resistant starch (RS) - a specific type of fibre - looks set to hit the mainstream in the very near future - only recently promoted on pack and in general media, RS looks set to redefine the future of fibre, appealing to younger consumers and Millennials.

FODMAPs are making their mark too, with this trend now being forecast as the next gluten free - new to FODMAPs? Find out more in our latest hot topic here.

2. Plant-Based 

Another consistent trend and one that’s unlikely to be going anywhere soon, plant-based presents opportunities for everyone in the food industry.

Snacking in particular is a key sub-driver for the plant-based trend (previously a top 5 trend in its own right) with most consumers not only wanting to snack more frequently, but wanting to snack better and include more veggies. Convenience plays a big part here, specifically for young consumers.

Advances in technology are also helping drive this trend, with many fruits, vegetables and legumes now being used in previously unthinkable formats - the proliferation of ‘healthier’ alternatives to chips is a key example, with chickpeas, lentils and peas increasingly being used in place of potatoes.

3. Good Carbs, Bad Carbs

With the ketogenic diet currently a media focus and a recent survey revealing that 25% of Australians are avoiding carbs(1), the low-carb diet is still very much on our radar.

In recent years though, the message has been one of balance rather than exclusion, with ‘quality’ carbohydrates being shown as an essential part of a healthy diet. This has led to the evolution of the idea of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ carbs, the former generally including whole grains, vegetables and fruits and the latter consisting of refined carbohydrates like biscuits, doughnuts and other 'non-whole grain' grain foods.

While there is undoubtedly a way to go on general perception of carbohydrates, for now both the public and the media are moving in the right direction with a focus on ‘quality’ carbs.  

Find out more on the merits of carbs in a balanced diet here and how carbs can assist with sports performance here. Plus our hot topic on the Ketogenic Diet delves into the pros and cons of this controversial diet - read more here.

4. Authenticity and Provenance

The trend for product provenance has been growing at a steady rate for the last few years, and is now just beginning to take off as many mainstream consumers buy into the trend.

Several factors have helped push this trend, perhaps one of the most important being a move back towards a more traditional style of eating for younger consumers. Generation X and Millennials particularly seek a point of difference in their food.

Industry has also taken a big step in promoting these products with the realisation that products with a story offer more to many consumers and help to foster connections between people and industry. The popularity of sourdough bread is a prime example of the provenance trend making an everyday product exceptional.

To find out more about other current trends like Snacking and the New Nordic Diet, simply search our blog!

References

1. New Nutrition Business. 2018. 10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition and Health 2019.