Plant-based nutrition as an alternative to meat

Considering excellent nutritional facts about legumes, FAO and nutrition experts recommend increasing the consumption of legumes and pulses in the daily diet. Legumes are not just great for vegans and vegetarians, but they’re a great alternative to industrial snacks for everybody, particularly kids and seniors.

In fact, legumes are universally recognized as a sustainable and inexpensive alternative to meat, and are considered the second most important food source after cereals. In many countries, they are consumed on a regular or even daily basis.

They are a great source of proteins (20–45%) with essential amino acids, complex carbohydrates (±60%) and dietary fibre (5–37%), essential for supporting digestive health and helping to reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Low in sodium, they have no cholesterol and are generally low in fat – with ±5% energy from fat, except for peanuts (±45%), chickpeas (±15%) and soybeans (±47%)–which can also contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Legumes are also a good source of essential minerals (iron and potassium) and folate, a B-vitamin naturally present in many foods that is essential to the nervous system function and especially important during pregnancy to prevent fetal defects.

They are also a source of starch, that is broken down by bacteria in the large intestine to produce short-chain fatty acids (such as butyrate) used by intestinal cells for food energy.

Naturis‘ cereals- and legumes-based products are conceived to meet the increasing demand for plant-based nutrition.

Naturis is an Italian company specializing in the production of legume- and cereal-based foods.

After several years of research, and thanks to the expertise gained in the hydrothermal treatment of legumes and cereals, the company recently launched a new line of snacks–Impulses–meeting the increasing demand of plant-based nutrition.

Crunchy pulses and seeds feature a great nutritional profile and provide a balanced dose of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, the majority of which are unsaturated. They are also a great source of fibers and minerals, such as iron, zinc, phosphorous, folate, and B vitamins.

Naturis‘ industrial process allows food products to be manufactured safely via a natural hydrothermal treatment process using only water and thermal energy. Thus, nutritional properties of legumes are preserved and even amplified, and proteins become more readily available for biological absorption. The process also improves the flavor of legumes by lightly roasting them to make them distinguishable and tasty.

The Impulses line includes lentils, yellow peas, green peas, chickpeas. They can be consumed instantly as snacks, but are also particularly suitable for the preparation of breakfast mixes or as a delicious addition to salads, allowing food companies to successfully use legumes in their most classic formulations and direct consumption.

They are also good for bakery products, in the production of bars with a high nutritional value. They are not fried and therefore very healthy.

However, to get an even tastier touch, they adapt well to a rapid passage in oil to obtain a golden color and an even crunchier and appetizing texture.

Naturis’ cereals are distributed on the North American market by Faravelli Inc, the US subsidiary of Faravelli. Faravelli began operating in its native Italy in 1926, before going on to establish a presence in North America in 2014.