You’ve probably been eating pulses most of your life – you just didn’t know it. Pulses are a type of dried legume seed, such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas, and they are packed with protein, fiber and minerals, but devoid of fat. Trying to shed light on this under-appreciated food staple, the United Nations has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses, calling them “nutritious seeds for a sustainable future.”