Dry beans, lentils and peas are a popular and growing choice in Western diets, after having been long established as staples in many Eastern cultures. Factors driving the growth in consumption of pulses include widespread interest in ethnic foods and changes in dietary awareness. As a group, they are one of the most nutritionally-complete foods, inexpensive and widely available. High in protein, fiber and carbohydrates, and low in fat, these soybeans, mung beans, chickpeas, lupin, lentils and peas have become a healthy and popular substitute for dairy and meat, and the trend toward vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets is greatly influencing the use of plant-based proteins as dairy and meat substitutes.
In 2020, continued momentum in the plant-based industry led to rapid growth. Hundreds of new products made it to market, and key regulatory wins on food labeling helped ensure a level playing field for plant-based products. The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) reports that 57 percent of all U.S. households purchased plant-based foods in 2020, up from 53 percent in 2019.