At the start of each new year, a borage of food trends sweep in carrying broad promises of saving or restoring one’s health with little to no effort. Some that come to mind include the kale-takeover, the quinoa craze and juicing. And while there are smidgen of truth behind all of these trends (kale is a highly nutritious vegetable; quinoa is a wonderful whole grain option; juicing does provide the consumer access to ample vitamins and minerals), their reputations tend to over promise but under-deliver, and the rising stars of these healthy foods tend to burn out quick.

There is one food trend lurching on the horizon, however, that may have some staying power. Not only is it supported by credible research from multiple studies, it’s also readily available, always in-season, and highly affordable. What is this incredible food? It’s actually a collection of foods known as pulses.

Pulses are legumes or more accurately, the edible seeds of legumes. These seeds are nutrient dense and include all varieties of dried beans, dried peas, lentils and chickpeas or garbanzo beans.

While pulses are a primary source of protein for most of the world’s population, they are not used as often for protein in the United States. Most Americans depend on meat and fish sources for their protein. But there are some good reasons to substitute pulses for part of the protein you eat each week. For one, pulses cost much less per serving than meat does. A serving of pulses costs about 10 cents where meat costs vary from about 60 cents per serving for chicken up to $1.50 per serving for beef.

So start off this new year and think about using pulses in your family meals. Happy and Ahealthy@ new year to you and your family!