Foods of the Mediterranean diet but we often forget about them: legumes are rich in beneficial properties, they are good not only for our health, but also for that of the planet. Nutritionists and experts have been repeating it for years: allies of one healthy and balanced diet, easy to cook, extremely versatile for every meal of the day, they can be stored for a long time and have a Minimal environmental impact . Furthermore, they are excellent for replacing meat several times a week, especially if associated with cereals with which they become a single dish. Despite this, they are not very present on our tables. Perhaps they pay for the fact that they have always been considered a poor food, because in the past they were chosen by those who could not afford the purchase and consumption of meat. Reason why they are at the center of programs to enhance local heritage and resources: a real one leguminous regeneration.
Nutritional properties of legumes: less fat and lots of fibre
Also known as "the meat of the poor", legumes guarantee quality and quantity of protein. Carbohydrates, dietary fibers, B vitamins as well as minerals such as phosphorus, zinc, potassium, football e iron. They are extremely versatile in the kitchen, there are countless traditional Italian recipes and they go perfectly with cereals to balance the supply of amino acids. Reason why a healthy, balanced and varied diet should regularly include its consumption.
They are also perfect for those who have to keep the cholesterol under control because they lack it. Many scientific studies show that the intake of legumes prevents obesity, diabetes, intestinal tract tumors and numerous cardiovascular diseases. The credit goes to the fibers which facilitate the work of the intestine, also reducing the sense of hunger and making you fuller for longer. They are also precious for counteracting anemia and chronic fatigue, but also for keeping blood sugar under control. Furthermore, they promote good mood thanks to the tryptophan content, the precursor of serotonin (the hormone of happiness). This is why it is essential to change eating habits and carry out what is called protein transition, i.e. change the source of protein: less from animals and more from legumes.
A sustainable option to feed the world: what legume regeneration is
Furthermore, legumes are regenerative not only for our health but also for the soil, the environment and biodiversity. They grow well even in dry soils, with a low environmental impact: planted together with other crops – or as part of rotation systems – they reduce soil erosion and help control pests and diseases, helping to give up the use of pesticides chemists. They also increase soil fertility and promote biodiversity.
This is the message launched on the occasion of Slow Beans, last August 20 and 21, in the historic center of Polizzi Generosa in Sicily with the producers' market hosting Slow Food Presidia and legumes from the Ark of Taste from Northern to Southern Italy, Taste Workshops and the eleventh edition of the beans, challenge with traditional Italian soups. Slow Beans fits into the program of The Road to Terra Madre, the cycle of events that anticipates Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, the international event that will take place in Turin, Parco Dora, from 22 to 26 September, the next appointment for the legume community in 2022.
The leguminous regeneration of Quality & Services
The "legume regeneration" is also the path taken by Quality & Services – Florentine collective catering company (Sesto Fiorentino, Campi Bisenzio, Signa, Calenzano, Carmignano and Barberino di Mugello) which mainly supplies school canteens, serving approximately 9 meals a day – whose school menu, in six years, from 2015/16 to 2021/22, has seen preserved meat disappear (zero proposed in the last year, it was two a week six years ago) and the presence of legumes increase (from zero to two dishes with legumes as the main protein source).
On a practical level, the first intervention was to transform the dishes starting from the quality of the raw materials, working product by product, eliminating all the processed dishes and cooking starting from fresh, local and quality products. To do this, it was decided to source local products from local producers, thus following a logic of The circular economy capable of generating positive effects on a wider community.
A model that every administration can implement as defined by the decree of 10 March 2020 of the Ministry of the Environment which establishes the "Minimum environmental criteria for the collective catering service".
