Lupine can do far more than just looking nice. Scientific research around the globe covers the benefits for human health and shows that the grain of Lupin can easily replace the usual grain products.
Lupin beans consist of 40 to 45 percent of protein, from 25 to 30 percent of fiber, have little or no starch at all, and contain little oil.
In summary, the beautiful Lupin has the potential to be a natural force against obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and insulin immunity and all important risk factors of cardiovascular disease.
“Studies have given the impression that lupins have extreme potential for very functional food,” says Dr. Regina Belski, a lecturer in dietetics and human nutrition at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.
Among other things, Dr. Belski conducted a study of overweight and obese volunteers.
The participants were divided into two groups. The first group received Lupin enriched bread, biscuits and pasta as food.
While the control group (the second group), were served with the same products but in the whole wheat variant.
Over the course of a year, the members of both groups had to complete a three-month acceptance program followed by a weight entertainment program.
At the end of the study, the members of the Lupin group had significantly lower blood pressure and increased insulin tolerance than the members of the control group.
In addition to this, it was possible to determine that, with lupins or lupin flour, fortified foods help with appetite control.
Another study conducted at the University of Western Australia, also carried out by Belski, revealed that people who consume lupin bread for breakfast were around 20 percent less to lunch than people who consumed white bread for breakfast.
“When people eat bread enriched with Lupin, then much sooner, a fullness feeling is set.
In addition, Lupins hold much longer than whole grains. The result is much less eaten at the next meal, “explains Dr. Belski.
Professor Michael Wink from the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology of the University of Heidelberg also come up with similar results.
Further studies substantiate these findings.
From pet food to supermarket
In Australia, lupins were introduced in the 1960s to re-building fields faster after harvests, to loosen the ground and to enrich the soil with nitrate.
The remaining lupin beans were used as animal feed.
At present, Western Australia is growing around 80 percent of the world’s lupin cultivation and is still serving the majority of Lupin production as fodder for sheep and other livestock.
“In Western Australia, people are much more aware of the benefits of lupins. There, you can easily find bakeries that use lupin flour.
In the supermarket, you can simply buy lupin bread or lupin pasta.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food also conducts research on Lupin milk, similar to soy milk.
Outside Western Australia, it is much more difficult to acquire Lupin flour. To do this, you have to visit a special provider or have it by luck.
But we are talking to many producers and are trying to convince them of the benefits of Lupin, “says Dr. Belski.
Lupine’s application areas are far more versatile.
Lupin can be used not only in bread and as a butcher’s pack, but also as a fat substitute in fat-reduced foods, as fake fish and even vegan sushi.
The Lupin, originally from South America, also grows locally and by far not only in Australia, so it is very sustainable and also not only cholesterol, but also gluten and lactose.
Only soy or peanut allergy sufferers should be treated with care as the lupine is closely related to both.
The tofu produced from soya beans is now known to everyone. Yet the spirits are still different from its taste.
Vegetarians and vegans in particular use the relatively taste-neutral protein box.
However, Lupine also seems to taste well to meat eaters.
The Dutch farmer, Jan Korte found an opportunity to produce a tasteful and visually convincing Butcher’s set, which even convinced non-vegetarians and can no longer notice any difference.
Apart from the fact that there are no hard pieces to be found in the hack from lupine. He likes to eat meat, but he is disturbed by the ever-more absurdly driven mass-farming.
The emission-rich tofu which is to be imported from Canada or Asia was not an alternative for him either.
Therefore, after the outbreak of the swine flu in 1997, he sought a way to produce meatless meat in Europe, too. Together with the Frauenhofer Institute, he found the solution in lupine.
Today, he even owns his own purely vegan butcher’s chain. About the Lupin meat he says: “If you try it, you don’t know that there are 100% of plants.”
In the shop, Lupin is available in US as bean, flour and protein block “Lopino”. But also the finished sausages or burgers can be found in some places.
The mass produce from the seeds of the legume is very similar to that of tofu.
There are already differences in taste. Lopino is significantly less acidic and does not taste as beany as tofu.
When heated, the taste changes and becomes nutty. Thus, the mass from lupine already has a taste of its own and is not as neutral as tofu.
The lupine mass is therefore well suited to be used as a butcher’s kit, as it only requires the addition of the right spices to make the taste impression perfect.
Not only the nutty taste, but also the consistency is already very similar to that of the meat.
This was even found by the Dutch butcher-snack-holder, Paul Bom and took on vegan lupin dishes on his menu.
He also confirms that his customers can not determine the difference between his vegan dishes and those of real meat. And as meat from Lupin is cholesterol free, some customers prefer the alternative.
