A last study has found that this food could be healthier than proteins, fiber -rich oats and wheat.
Chickpeas and lentils, whether whole or in flour, offer more nutritional value for the human diet than the products made of oatmeal and wheat, a new study said on Wednesday. The study, published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, showed that chickpeas and lentils contain more zinc vitamins and iron key for better nutrition than oats and wheat.
The Adelaida University team analyzed the bioavailability of micronutrients in products that are available to the public.
“We discovered that all pulse products, such as chickpea and lentil flours, were excellent sources of micronutrients,” said Thi Diem Nguyen, a doctoral candidate at the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, in the university team.
“Particularly for the nutrition of zinc and iron, they exceeded cereal products such as oatmeal and wheat,” Nguyen added.
Zinc and iron deficiencies can have harmful health consequences, especially for pregnant children and people.
The fortification of these nutrients in food can be performed by producers, through the use of fertilizers or adding them as ingredients, as during the baking process for bread products.
“Our results indicated that pulse products, such as chickpeas and lentils, are higher sources of proteins and minerals, particularly zinc and iron, with a bioavailability of higher micronutrients compared to proven cereal products,” said Dr. Stephanie Watts-Fawkes, group leader and future creation of spears in the Waite research institute.
The bioavailability of zinc and iron, which is the ability of the human body to extract nutrients from food, is also affected by other elements present in cereal crops.
“Nutrient absorption can be limited by coexisting antinutritional factors in cereal grain, such as the presence of phytate,” Nguyen said.
“People at risk of micronutrient deficiencies could include more pulses in their meals, which are rich in protein, zinc and iron, and have a high bioavailability,” he said.
