The American Pulse Association and U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Council say proposed federal dietary guidelines don't fully reflect the nutritional benefits of pulse crops and could prompt Americans to eat less of them.
The two organizations are asking farmers, scientists and others familiar with the crops to contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture and lobby for pulses to play a greater role in the guidelines. The deadline to do that is April 8.
Though the proposed guidelines recognize the health benefits of pulses, they "minimize" the actual recommendation of how much pulses Americans should eat, says Jessie Hunter, director of research for the two commodity groups.
The biggest concern is that the recommendations omit pulse crops (dry beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas) from the description of foods in the protein food group. The report defines protein foods as a "broad group of foods including meat, poultry, fish/seafood, soy, nuts and seeds." Pulses aren't mentioned.
"This (omission) is perplexing, considering pulses are high in protein," Hunter says.
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The recommendations also say a diet high in plant-based foods promotes good health. Legumes are among the plant-based foods specially mentioned.
Given that, pulse crops should have been included in the protein food group recommendation, too, Hunter says.
"We're hoping it (omission from the 2015 protein food group recommendations) is just an oversight," she says.
Legumes were included in the protein group recommendation in 2010, when the dietary guidelines were last issued.
Both the 2010 guidelines and 2015 recommendations include legumes in the vegetable food group.
Legumes, which include alfalfa, clover, fresh peas, soybeans and peanuts, refer to plants whose fruits are enclosed in a pod. Pulses, in turn, are part of the legume family and refer only to the dried seed. Dried peas, edible beans, lentils and chickpeas are common varieties.
Public comments sought
Now, the U.S. Health and Human Services and ag departments will consider the report's recommendations, along with public comments and input from other federal agencies, as they determine the Dietary Guidelines for America, 2015, to be released later this year.
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The dietary guidelines, developed by an advisory panel of experts from universities and nutrition organizations across the nation, sets nutritional standards for state and federal programs such as school lunches, food stamps, and programs benefiting children and pregnant women. This will be the first update of federal food policy in five years.
USDA encourages the public to view the report and provide written comments at www.DietaryGuidelines.gov .
Comments will be accepted online through midnight Eastern Daylight time April 8.
Because the dietary guidelines are so influential, farmers and others familiar with the benefits of pulses need to express their views, Hunter says.
Promising trends, but ...
Global consumption of pulse crops is rising and, by some estimates, could nearly double in the next 15 years. Growing demand in developing countries such as India is the biggest factor, though rising per-capita consumption of pulses by U.S. consumers is a factor, too, experts say.
To help meet rising demand, both domestically and overseas, farmers in North Dakota and Montana are growing more lentils and other pulses, Hunter says.
But the momentum that pulses are building could be slowed if the proposed federal dietary guidelines aren't revised to fully reflect the crops' health benefits, she says.
