The importance of child-tailored legume-based products in the adoption of sustainable diets

Slides presented during " The Diversity of end uses for Legumes"

Webinar 4: European legumes in transition 27th April 2021

The importance of child-tailored legume-based products in the adoption of sustainable diets - Carla S. Santos - Catholic University of Portugal

Several factors influence children’s diets. These are important since most of the food habits established during childhood and adolescence tend to persist into adulthood. Hence, when promoting a general dietary shift, children’s and adolescent’s food perceptions cannot be overlooked. In this work, three food legume-based products were designed taking into consideration their taste and viability, but also their adaptability to the family’s routine. Specifically, we developed a sweet pancake lentil flour mix, ready to use; a fava bean-based donut, with additional health-related food ingredients; and a lupin-enriched yogurt, with several pre- and probiotic advantages. Using this knowledge and collecting simple recipes from different European countries, a legume cookbook for children was also developed.

Legumes’ consumption, being an essential part of the recommended healthy and sustainable diet, has been correlated with lower incidence of allergies and asthma in children in several research studies. While food technology and research are investing on this matter, will this be enough to impact children’s (and parents) decisions towards healthy eating habits?

Presented by:  - Carla S. Santos - Catholic University of Portugal