PULSES

Pulses are edible seeds of plants in the legume family, but the term pulse refers only to dried seed. Pulses have many health, sustainability and nutrition benefits. There are 11 different types of pulses that have been identified by UN, which are, dry peas, cow peas, lentils, lupins, vetches, broad peas, chicken peas, Bambara peas etc. They all are rich source of vitamins and nutrients like protein, fiber and calcium, pulses also give certain essential minerals such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and folate, which basically play a key role in building human healthy body and muscles.

Furthermore, if we move towards its benefits, following are some of points that will clarify its importance in our diet:

·         SOURCE OF VITAMIN AND MINERAL
·         RICH SOURCE OF PROTEIN
·         PULSES POSSESS ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS
·         GOOD FOR HEART
·         REDUCE THE RICK OF DIABETES
·         REDUCE THE RISK OF CANCER
·         CONTROLLING APTITUDE
·         GREAT SOURCE OF FOLATE

 

NUTRIENT CONTENTS

ENERGY:

Pulses contain 1040 to 1430 KJ per 100g, provided mostly by carbohydrates as compare to fats.

CARBOHYDRATE:

Pulses contain low glycemic index and are great source of carbohydrate.

DIETARY FIBRE:

·         INSOLUBLE FIBRE:

Important for bowel health

·         SOLUBLE FIBRE:

Lowers blood cholesterol

·         OLIGOSACCHRIDE:

Sugars such as raffinose (3-5%), stachyose and pentosans cause abdominal discomfort and flatulence because they escape digestion in the gut and are fermented in the large bowel.

·         PROTEIN:

Pulses provide between 20 and 30 g of protein per 100 g. Pulses are low in essential amino acids, methionine and cysteine, but they are rich in lysine.s

·         FATS:

Pulses are low in fat, containing 2-6% fat, most of which is provided by polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.

·         VITAMINS:

1.      Vitamin B: pulses contain thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B6

2.      Vitamin E: antioxidant

3.      Vitamin A

4.      Vitamin C: 1 cup of bean sprouts contains 11 mg of vitamin C

·         MINERALS:

o   Potassium

o   Iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorous

o   Calcium and selenium

o   Manganese and copper

 

NUTRIENT CONTENT OF SOME PULSES

PER 100 G	LUPIN	CHICKPEA	FIELD PEA
Energy( Kj)	1552	1523	1427
Protein (g)	36	19	25
Fat( g)	9.7	6.0	1.2
Carbohydrate (g)	40	61	60
Fiber (g)	35	17	26
Vitamin B 6	0.4	0.5	0.2

 

 

PULSES PRODUCTION IN PAKISTAN

Pulses are not major crop in Pakistan, only grown on five percent of cropped area according to 2016 report. Since, it is important to set up their sustainability in production with other crops like rice, cotton and sugarcane etc.

AREA:

According to reports of last ten years, pulses production has been static. The area covered by pulses was constant since approximately 1960.

Mung bean production has been growing since early 1980s, decreases since 2005 and at present 373,000 acres. Mash bean production has been reduced to 52,000 acres and lentils to 48,000.

YIELD:

Rice and sugar yields have doubled and wheat yield is tripled since 1961, yield of chickpeas, lentils and other pulses have hardly increased. Yield growth is basically dependent on many factors; one is public agriculture research and development spending.

PRODUCTION:

Production of pulses is constant over the last many years because yields have stagnated.

Chickpeas are a non-irrigated crop that is actually grown on marginal land, and its production is extremely variable.

DISPOSAL:

Domestic growing can be utilized for food, for livestock, seed for future planting crops, or can be lost through post- harvest waste. According to FAO food balance sheet for Pakistan in 2013, domestic production of 906 kt was supplemented by import of 176 kt.

IMPORTS:

Import of pulses has risen since in 1981, with spikes in 1993 and 2011, below average production in these two years. Two main types of imports pulses are chickpeas and lentils. The major import is lentils, (US$96 million) and major sources are Canada and Australia. Chickpea imports are worth $34 million, major sources are Iran and Australia.