Beans, for the uninitiated, means 'pulse' and not just Heinz. Pulses, which are also known as legumes, include dried peas (chick peas, yellow and green split peas), beans (red kidney, black eye, mung, aduki, pinto and haricot), and lentils (these come in a variety of colours such as yellow, brown and green).

Unfortunately, the humble pulse has always had a bad press. As well as being seen as complicated to prepare and cook, many people shy away from it because of the fear of public embarrassment.

So, is wind the only attribute that the pulses possess? Of course not. In terms of nutrition, pulses make a great alternative to meat because they are rich in protein as well as being an excellent source of soluble fibre, which can help to lower blood cholesterol.

Pound for pound, pulses provide more energy and B vitamins than vegetables. Sprouted dried beans such as mung, soya, chickpeas and lentils, are excellent sources of vitamin C, and are great, eaten raw in a salad or stir-fried.

Although pulses are a good source of protein, they don't actually constitute a complete protein on their own, so they need to be combined with grains or cereals.

By combining pulses with cereal grains in dishes such as rice and peas, red beans and rice, bean soup with bread, and baked potato with baked beans, legumes become first class proteins, providing the body with indispensable amino acids.

If you want to include more grains and pulses in your diet, try the easy-to-make recipes on the following pages.

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Grains and pulses: ideas for great recipes