New Study Helps Unveil Canada’s Attitude Toward Pulses
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A study funded by the Growing Forward program – a federally-funded program that falls under Canada’s Economic Action Plan – was conducted recently in order to get an informative snapshot of the pulse industry in Canada.
Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The study aimed to uncover the attitudes and perceptions around pulses in Canada – most importantly, what influences Canadians to consume pulses.
Overall, Canadian consumption of pulses was found to be relatively low, which is surprising, given that Canada is one of the global leader in pulse exports. The majority of Canadians reported that they consumed pulses less than one time per month, while about 20 per cent of study participants qualified as “non-consumers”. They stated that in the last six months they had not consumed any pulses, either at home or while eating out.
As for which pulse is the most popular, beans came in first with approximately 2 out of 3 Canadians consuming them at least once every six months. The runners-up are chickpeas and peas, at about 53 per cent saying they ate them in the last six months, followed by lentils – with about 41 per cent having eaten them in the last six months. Chickpeas and peas have the most versatility when it comes to food types, as they are available canned, in salads, processed (i.e. hummus), in flour form, etc.
The study found that the word pulse had a low familiarity rating with consumers and that promotional materials and advertisements should explain what food group it refers to (beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils). Researchers concluded that it would also be helpful to raise awareness of the kinds of recipes and dishes that can be made with pulses, as well as the types of pulses that are available and the different ways to cook with them.
Furthermore, the study concluded that emphasizing the taste value of pulses would be beneficial as many consumers seem to be under the impression that they don’t taste good. Another strong point that can be made in favour of pulses is their health benefits. Pulses are an excellent source of protein, as well as being high in fibre.
