WORLD LEGUME DAY February 10

The UN proclaimed February 10 as World Legume Day. It has been celebrated since 2019 with the aim of publicizing the great nutritional benefits of this food. In addition, it is a very sustainable crop, since it helps fix nitrogen to the soil, which helps to recover it for other crops and not use fertilizers, contributing to climate change.

It all started in 2016 when it was announced as the year of legumes and since then, the FAO and the UN have worked together to extol the power of this food.
They are one of the few foods so high in protein that they help feed much of the world with low purchasing power. It has another advantage, that whoever grows it can sell it and consume it at the same time, constituting the food base of many towns.

Legumes are the foundation of a healthy diet and are considered one of the most nutritious foods on earth. They are seeds with a high amount of vegetable proteins, low in cholesterol, with plenty of iron, fiber and folates and with a low glycemic index, very suitable for diabetics. It is a great food that helps prevent obesity. In addition, they keep for a long time, a not inconsiderable advantage compared to other foods that need conservation.

As a usual product in gastronomy, we must consume at least 2 times a week. Countries like Brazil consume beans daily with Feijoada, in Japan with tofu and here we have lentils or stew. We can cook these grains in stews, sautéed with vegetables, vegetable pates, terrines, and use the cooking water for soups, broths, creams and even to make meringues using the chickpea cooking broth called aquafaba.

It must be emphasized that we are a country of legumes and we must recover our traditions through their consumption and thus support our farmers. In the market we can easily find this already cooked product that allows us to save time and money. From my point of view, it is one of the highest quality products without additives that exist in the food market.

EAT LEGUMES

#WorldLegumesDay
#ZeroHunger

The FAO has declared this year 2021 as the international year of fruits and vegetables. The objective is to make the population aware of its importance, promote its consumption, as well as the sustainability that such consumption implies and reduce its waste.

The FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend the consumption per adult of at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day to prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity, as well as to counteract micronutrient deficiencies.

From now on, couscous is considered an intangible heritage of humanity. Unesco approved in December 2020, the inscription on the list of intangible assets, of knowledge, practices and traditions linked to the preparation and consumption of couscous, jointly presented by Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia. Due to the great contribution of couscous to world gastronomy for centuries, we can only celebrate it.