By Oluwaseyi Elizabeth Jimoh

The first time I heard about #WorldPulsesDay, I assumed it had something to do with heartbeats—checking your pulse, monitoring cardiovascular health.

I was wrong.

Perhaps my physical and health education background made me think so.

It wasn’t about the rhythm in our wrists.

It was about the rhythm of life on our plates.

And instantly, my thoughts traveled back, far back— to an ancient experiment recorded in Daniel 1:12–16.

In the heart of Babylon, four young men, Daniel and his companions— made a request that sounded almost naïve in a palace of excess:

“Give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.”

No royal meat.

No indulgent wine.

Just simplicity.

Ten days later, the evidence was impossible to ignore.

They appeared healthier, stronger, and clearer in spirit than those who consumed the king’s rich diet.

What they ate didn’t just nourish their bodies— it sharpened their minds and shaped their destiny.

Daniel would later rise to leadership and royalty, not despite his modest diet, but alongside it.

Thousands of years later, science is catching up with Scripture.

Today, 10 February, the United Nations, through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), marks World Pulses Day under the theme #FromModestyToExcellence— a global spotlight on humble foods that quietly sustain humanity: beans, lentils, chickpeas, cowpeas, peas.

 

So Why Pulses?

• Because they are nutritional power houses disguised as everyday food.

 

• Pulses are naturally low in fat, cholesterol-free, and low in sodium, making them allies in preventing cardiovascular disease and managing blood pressure.

 

• They are among the richest sources of plant-based protein, especially critical in communities where animal protein is scarce or expensive.

 

• Just 100 grams of dry lentils delivers up to 25 grams of protein— and when paired with grains like rice or maize, they form a complete protein that rivals meat.

 

Iron deficiency remains one of the world’s most widespread nutritional challenges, particularly among women and children.

Pulses offer a natural, affordable source of iron, and when combined with vitamin-C-rich foods like tomatoes or citrus, they become even more powerful in combating anaemia.

Their benefits go further.

Rich in dietary fibre, pulses support digestion and reduce the risk of heart disease.

They contain potassium, essential for muscle and nerve function, and folate, vital for brain health and especially crucial during pregnancy to prevent birth defects.

They are inclusive by nature.

With a low glycaemic index, pulses help stabilize blood sugar—supporting people living with diabetes and those managing weight.

Being naturally gluten-free, they are safe and nourishing for people with coeliac disease.

And beyond individual health, pulses are a global solution.

They are affordable, easy to store, climate-resilient, and deeply sustainable.

Pulses enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and strengthening food systems.

They feed people and heal the planet.

This is why pulses are central to achieving the #Sustainable Development Goals, particularly #SDG2: Zero Hunger.

Following the success of the #InternationalYearofPulses in 2016, World Pulses Day was created to keep one message alive:

Small seeds can drive transformational change.

From Scripture to modern policy rooms, pulses tell one consistent story:

Nourishment doesn’t have to be extravagant to be effective.

Strength can be modest.

Wisdom can be simple.

Excellence can grow from humility.

So today, on #WorldPulsesDay, maybe it’s time to rethink what power really looks like.

It might be a bowl of lentils.

A pot of beans.

Or just like Daniel— a plate of pulse and water.

Because food fuels destiny.

Eat for health.

Eat for resilience.

Eat for the future.

And remember: You are what you eat.

Don’t just eat food. Eat for good by adding pulses to your plate.

Happy World Pulses Day!