Patterns of Legume Purchases and Consumption in the United States

Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations

In recent decades, scarcity of available resources, population growth and the widening in the consumption of processed foods and of animal origin have made the current food system unsustainable. High-income countries have shifted towards food consumption patterns which is causing an increasingly process of environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources, with the increased incidence of malnutrition due to excess (obesity and non-communicable disease) and due to chronic food deprivation. An urgent challenge is, therefore, to move towards more healthy and sustainable eating choices and reorientating food production and distribution to obtain a human and planetary health benefit. In this regard, legumes represent a less expensive source of nutrients for low-income countries, and a sustainable healthier option than animal-based proteins in developed countries. Although legumes are the basis of many traditional dishes worldwide, and in recent years they have also been used in the formulation of new food products, their consumption is still scarce. Common beans, which are among the most consumed pulses worldwide, have been the focus of many studies to boost their nutritional properties, to find strategies to facilitate cultivation under biotic/abiotic stress, to increase yield, reduce antinutrients contents and rise the micronutrient level. The versatility of beans could be the key for the increase of their consumption, as it allows to include them in a vast range of food preparations, to create new formulations and to reinvent traditional legume-based recipes with optimal nutritional healthy characteristics.

Bean Consumption during Childhood Is Associated with Improved Nutritional Outcomes in the First Two Years of Life

Bean consumption during childhood may play a role in promoting early-life health given their high nutritional quality. To examine the associations of children's bean consumption with the socio-demographic characteristics of the child and mother and the child's nutrient intake, we analyzed data from the WIC-ITFPS-2, which followed children and their mothers at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, and 24 months (m) following birth. Caregivers (mostly mothers) responded to an interview-administered 24 h recall on their child's dietary intake at each time point. The intake of dried beans, chili, yellow beans, and lima beans was quantified. Correlate measures included socio-demographic characteristics. Outcome measures of interest focused on the intake of macronutrients (grams and % kcals) and micronutrients at 11 (infancy) and 24 m (toddler) only. To ensure statistical power, we only examined the associations of dried beans and chili with socio-demographics (Chi-square tests) and nutritional outcomes (ANOVA) at 11 and 24 m. The proportion of children who consumed dried beans or chili was very low in the first 6 m of age, started to increase at 7 m (1.2% and 0.4%) and 11 m (4.9% and 2.3%), and reached a high level at 18 m (10.5%) and 24 m (5.9%), respectively. Consumption of yellow or lima beans was rare (<0.1%). At 11 and 24 m, dried bean consumption was higher in children who were White (vs. Black). Dried bean and chili consumption was higher in children who were of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (vs. non-Hispanic or non-Latino ethnicity). Children who consumed dried beans and chili at 11 or 24 m had a higher intake of total energy, protein, total fiber, potassium, folate, and magnesium compared with non-consumers. The bean consumption was low amongst children, differed by race and ethnicity, and was associated with improved macro- and micronutrient intake in children at 11 and 24 m.

Consumption Trends and Eating Context of Lentils and Dried Peas in the United States: A Nationally Representative Study

BACKGROUND

Incorporation of lentils and dried peas could form the basis of a nutrient-rich diet; yet, they are among the least-consumed legumes in the United States (US). The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of lentils/dried peas consumption in the US over time and across socio-demographic groups, as well as to examine the eating context of these foods.

METHODS

Analyses included adults (aged 18 years or older) and children (aged 3-17 years) participating in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004 through 2017-2018. Participants consuming lentils/dried peas on one or both of the 24-h dietary recalls were categorized as consumers.

RESULTS

Although an increasing time trend in prevalence of consumption was observed over the study period, prevalence of lentils/dried peas consumption was less than 7% in NHANES 2017-2018 in adults and children. Demographic differences were observed, such that a greater proportion of non-Hispanic Asians were classified as consumers. Lentils/dried peas were primarily obtained from grocery stores and supermarkets.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there are signs of rising acceptance of dried peas and lentils, the low prevalence of lentils/dried peas consumption suggests that understanding barriers to consumption of these foods could further identify opportunities to improve their consumption.

The Evaluation of Roasted Lentils (L. culinaris L.) Quick Meals as An Alternative to Meat Dishes

Despite the health-promoting benefits, the consumption of lentils in East Europe is low, attracting researchers' interest in solving the problem. The aim of this study was to develop an alternative to animal proteins for nutrient-dense plant-based quick meals using roasted lentils as the primary raw material, performing sensory analysis, and evaluating the content of amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. The consumption of legumes in Latvia is also low, even though most respondents associate the use of legumes with a healthy choice. Roasted lentil quick meals can deliver 15.6% and 26.2% of the reference intake for protein. Furthermore, one-third of the amino acids (AAs) are essential AAs. AA values in prepared quick meals make them promising alternatives to meat products. One portion of ready-roasted lentils with Bolognese sauce provided above 15% of the daily reference intake of thiamin and vitamin B9. One portion of a ready-quick meal of tomato soup with roasted lentils and roasted lentils with Bolognese sauce provided 20.3% and 25.6% of iron, according to daily reference intake. Further studies on the bioavailability of quick meals must be conducted to claim they can replace meat nutritionally.

Dairy and Plant-Based Milks: Implications for Nutrition and Planetary Health

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Dairy milk products are dominant in the market; however, plant-based milks are gaining prominence among USA consumers. Many questions remain about how plant-based milk products compare to dairy milk from a nutrition, public health, and planetary health perspective. Here, we compare the retail sales, nutrient profiles, and known health and environmental impacts of the production and consumption of dairy and plant-based milks and identify knowledge gaps for future studies. For our plant-based milk comparisons, we reviewed almond, soy, oat, coconut, rice, pea, cashew, and other plant-based milks as data were available.

RECENT FINDINGS

The retail unit price of plant-based milks was generally higher than that of cow's milk, making it less accessible to lower-income groups. Many plant-based milks are fortified to match the micronutrient profile of dairy milk more closely. Notable differences remained, especially in protein, zinc, and potassium, depending on the base ingredient and individual product. Some plant-based milks contain added sugar to improve flavor. Plant-based milks were generally associated with lower environmental impacts (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions, water use) than cow's milk, with the notable exception of the higher water footprint of almond milk. This review of recent studies and consumer purchases confirmed that retail sales of plant-based milks are increasing and shifting among products. Further research is needed to better characterize the environmental impacts of newer plant-based milks, such as cashew, hemp, and pea milks; consumer attitudes and behavior towards plant-based milks; and the safety and potential health effects related to their long-term and more frequent consumption.

Comparison of Consumption of Pulses in Two Seasons of the Year in Chile

BACKGROUND

In Chile, the consumption of legumes at least two times per week is promoted. However, there is a low consumption of legumes. Therefore, our objective is to describe legume consumption in two different seasonal periods.

METHODS

Serial cross-sectional study: surveys were distributed during summer and winter using different digital platforms. Frequency of consumption, purchase access, and preparation type were investigated.

RESULTS

In total, 3280 adults were surveyed in summer and 3339 in winter. The mean age was 33 years. Totals of 97.7% and 97.5% of the population reported consuming legumes in both periods; consumption increased to 3 times per week during winter. In both periods, the main reason for their preference is that they are delicious and nutritious, followed by their use as a meat substitute; the main barriers to their consumption in both periods are that they are expensive (29% in summer and 27.8% in winter) and difficult to prepare.

CONCLUSION

A good consumption of legumes was observed, but with a higher frequency of consumption during winter, with an intake of ≥1 per day; additionally, differences were found in purchases according to season, although no differences were found in the method of preparation.

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Can Help Facilitate and Maintain a Lower Animal to Plant Protein Intake Ratio

The health and environmental advantages of plant-predominant diets will likely lead to increasing numbers of consumers reducing their reliance on animal products. Consequently, health organizations and professionals will need to provide guidance on how best to make this change. In many developed countries, nearly twice as much protein is derived from animal versus plant sources. Potential benefits could result from consuming a higher share of plant protein. Advice to consume equal amounts from each source is more likely to be embraced than advice to eschew all or most animal products. However, much of the plant protein currently consumed comes from refined grains, which is unlikely to provide the benefits associated with plant-predominant diets. In contrast, legumes provide ample amounts of protein as well other components such as fiber, resistant starch, and polyphenolics, which are collectively thougt to exert health benefits. But despite their many accolades and endorsement by the nutrition community, legumes make a negligible contribution to global protein intake, especially in developed countries. Furthermore, evidence suggests the consumption of cooked legumes will not substantially increase over the next several decades. We argue here that plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) made from legumes are a viable alternative, or a complement, to consuming legumes in the traditional manner. These products may be accepted by meat eaters because they can emulate the orosensory properties and functionality of the foods they are intended to replace. PBMAs can be both transition foods and maintenance foods in that they can facilitate the transition to a plant-predominant diet and make it easier to maintain. PBMAs also have a distinct advantage of being able to be fortified with shortfall nutrients in plant-predominant diets. Whether existing PBMAs provide similar health benefits as whole legumes, or can be formulated to do so, remains to be established. Adv Nutr 2023;xx:xx-xx.

Legume Intake, Body Weight, and Abdominal Adiposity: 10-Year Weight Change and Cross-Sectional Results in 15,185 U.S. Adults

There were three objectives: (1) evaluate the relationship between legume intake and weight change across the previous 10 years, (2) examine the cross-sectional associations between legume consumption, BMI, and abdominal adiposity, and (3) determine if the relationship between legume intake and the outcomes were influenced by multiple covariates, particularly fiber intake. The sample included 15,185 randomly selected adults representative of the U.S. population. Percent change in weight was used as the outcome measure for the 10-year analysis. BMI, and waist circumference, corrected for height, were employed as the outcomes for the cross-sectional analyses. Legume, fiber, and energy intakes were measured using the average of two 24-h dietary recalls. Legume intake was divided into three categories. Five demographic and five lifestyle covariates were controlled statistically. There was an inverse dose-response relationship between legume intake and percent weight change over the previous 10 years after adjusting for 9 of the covariates (F = 6.5, p = 0.0028). However, after controlling for fiber with the other covariates, there were no differences across the three legume intake groups (F = 1.9, p = 0.1626). The cross-sectional findings showed similar inverse dose-response results until fiber intake was controlled. Then the associations became non-significant. In conclusion, legume intake is a good predictor of percent weight change over the previous 10 years, and it is also a significant predictor of BMI and abdominal adiposity cross-sectionally. These relationships are strongly influenced by fiber consumption. Evidently, legumes have dietary advantages, especially high fiber levels, that seem to be valuable in the battle against weight gain and obesity.

Recognizing the importance of protein quality in an era of food systems transformation

A transformation of current food systems is needed to nourish the growing global population in more sustainable ways. To support this, some are advocating for a shift to plant-based or -exclusive diets. These recommendations – typically borne out of concerns for the environment – often fail to account for unintended nutritional consequences, which could be particularly pronounced for protein intake. While there is enough protein to meet current global needs, the issue of protein quality is often overlooked and oversimplified. High-quality protein, including from animal source foods (ASF), is needed to meet nutritional demands in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), particularly among vulnerable population groups. In high-income countries (HIC), protein quality is important for at-risk populations who have higher protein requirements and lower energy and/or protein intakes. Further, as the global population increases, driven primarily by population growth in LMIC, it is possible that protein production will need to increase in HIC to support exports to help feed the global population. The global dialogue and resulting dietary recommendations must therefore become more nuanced to consider the interaction between nutritional value and environmental impact to help better reflect trade-offs across multiple domains of sustainability. Nutritional life cycle assessments are one way to help accomplish this nuance and evaluate how all types of food production systems should be refocused to improve their environmental efficiency and nutritional impact.

Sustainability and Gender Perspective in Food Innovation: Foods and Food Processing Coproducts as Source of Macro- and Micro-Nutrients for Woman-Fortified Foods

Micro- and macro-nutrient deficiencies among women are considered a global issue that the food industry has not adequately considered until recently. The industry must provide and guarantee a diversity of food products worldwide that allow women to get a correct and balanced diet according their life stage. The food industry must focus on this challenge within a framework of sustainable production, minimizing the use of natural resources and avoiding the emission of waste and pollutants throughout the life cycle of food. Food coproducts are presented as potential bioactive functional compounds which can be useful for technological purposes, due to the fact that they can serve as non-chemical, natural and health-improving food ingredients. In this review, we focus on the potential use of food processing coproducts which must be part of a strategy to promote and improve women's health and well-being. This knowledge will make it possible to select potential ingredients from coproducts to be used in the fortification of foods intended for consumption by females and to introduce sustainability and gender perspectives into food innovation. The attainment of fortifications for foods for women has to be linked to the use of sustainable sources from food coproducts in order to be economically viable and competitive.

Food Industry Views on Pulse Flour—Perceived Intrinsic and Extrinsic Challenges for Product Utilization

Pulses such as beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils are typically consumed whole, but pulse flours will increase their versatility and drive consumption. Beans are the most produced pulse crop in the United States, although their flour use is limited. To expand commercial applications, knowledge of pulse flour attributes important to the food industry is needed. This research aimed to understand the food industry’s needs and barriers for pulse flour utilization. An online survey invitation was sent via direct email to individuals employed in food companies developing wheat flour products. A survey weblink was distributed by pulse commodity boards to their membership. Survey questions asked food manufacturers about intrinsic factors of pulse flours that were satisfactory or challenging, and extrinsic factors for use such as market demand. Of the 75 complete responses, 21 currently or had previously used pulse flours in products, and 54 were non-users of pulse flours. Ten users indicated that there were challenges with pulse flours while five did not. Two of the most selected challenges of end-product qualities were flavor and texture. Over half of the respondents were unfamiliar with bean flour. Increasing awareness of bean flours and their attributes coupled with market demand for pulse flour-based products may be the most important extrinsic factors to increasing use among food manufacturers rather than supply or cost.