Lentil Blends Make Food Healthier, More Sustainable and More Cost Effective

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Sept. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lentils make burgers healthier, more sustainable, and more cost effective to produce, according to a new study published in Sustainability. The study, Nutritional and Environmental Sustainability of Lentil Reformulated Beef Burger, appears in the latest issue of the journal Sustainability, an international peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the Multidisciplinary Publishing Institute (MDPI).

Researchers found that reformulating a 100% lean U.S. beef patty to include one-third cooked lentils results in a blended burger that is more sustainable, nutritious and cost-effective.

"With one-third of Americans identifying as flexitarian, we're seeing a definite rise in interest in meat products enhanced with plant protein," says Amber Johnson, director of marketing and communications at Lentils.org. "Lentil blends like the lentil-beef burger provide an exciting opportunity for food manufacturers to develop a host of blended food products—ranging from patties to meatloaf to pasta sauce—that not only answer this demand, but also improve their products' nutrition, environmental impact and cost."

The blended burger had 12% fewer calories and 32% less saturated fat per serving compared to an all-beef patty, as well as a 26% lower production cost. Including lentils also reduced the carbon footprint, water footprint and land-use footprint of the patty by about 33%, a very significant improvement.

"This blended approach gives companies and consumers the option of lowering costs, enhancing nutrition and improving sustainability," says Denis Trémorin, research contributor and Director of Sustainability at Pulse Canada. "A 33% reduction in environmental impact of the burger is a gamechanger for those looking to mitigate their carbon footprint without sacrificing on nutrition or flavour."

As consumer demand for sustainable products rises and the flexitarian market continues to grow, more consumers will be looking to brands that offer products with plant-animal blends and plant-forward ingredients. The use of pulses (beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils) in new food products grew 14% in 2018, and the global pulse ingredients market is expected to reach over $24 billion by 2025. Brands like Better Blends™, Raised & Rooted™ and Maple Leaf 50/50™ are already leading the way with new, innovative blended meat products.

For more information about the potential of pulse-blended products, please visit Lentils.org and PulseCanada.com. To review the full study, visit https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/6712/htm.

About Lentils.org & Saskatchewan Pulse Growers
Lentils.org is a promotional brand funded by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG), working with the food industry to promote awareness and use of delicious, nutritious and sustainable Canadian lentils. SPG is accountable to and funded by over 15,000 pulse crop (lentil, pea, chickpea, dry bean, faba bean) farmers in Saskatchewan. For more information, please visit Lentils.org.

About Pulse Canada
Pulse Canada is the national association of growers, traders and processors of Canadian pulse crops, which includes peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas. Canada is the world's largest supplier of pulses, with annual exports reaching more than 130 countries. For more information, visit PulseCanada.com.

Press Contact:
Nicole Lavella
Crier Communications
310-274-1072
[email protected] 

SOURCE Pulse Canada; Lentils.org

Related Links

http://Lentils.org