Hidden Hunger Quickens ‘Pulse’ at Clemson’s Tiger Gardens

Even if a person appears well-nourished, this does not guarantee that they are getting adequate nutrition. They may be struggling with what is called “hidden hunger,” a form of malnutrition.

Hidden hunger can be caused by poor diet, illness, or occur during pregnancy or breastfeeding when the body’s needs for micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are high. This condition affects the health and development of children, as well as the normal physical and mental functioning of adults. Hidden hunger can even lead to death.

According to the International Food Policy Research Institute, hidden hunger affects one in three people worldwide. While the condition is prevalent in parts of Africa and the South Asian subcontinent, deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron and iodine are observed even in the most developed countries. And as food prices continue to rise, consumers are often choosing cheaper, highly processed, energy-dense, micronutrient-poor foods and beverages, which can lead to obesity and diet-related chronic diseases.

It was for these reasons that in 2014, five Clemson University students created “The Tiger Gardens” under the guidance of their new professor, Dr. Dil Thavarajah. Thavarajah came to the university that year with experience in combating hidden hunger through her international work on legumes in Africa and Asia, to alleviate iron, zinc, selenium and carotenoid deficiencies in those regions.

Pulses are the dry, edible seeds of plants in the legume family which includes chickpeas, lentils, dried peas, and beans.

“Dr. Dil,” as he is affectionately known on campus, said these five students expressed a keen interest in helping to reduce hidden hunger, particularly among those in our state who struggle with obesity. According to SC DHEC, obesity affects two in three adults and one in three children in South Carolina.

The Tiger Gardens are ten experimental garden beds, designed by a Clemson engineering student and located adjacent to Dr. Dil’s lab. They were created with the mission of educating families on how to create a vegetable garden that will produce crops year-round, with vegetables for each season of the year, for a household of five.

“In the fall, they might have leafy greens, peas, kale, collards, beets and carrots. You might have broccoli, cauliflower and peas in the spring, and in the summer, you might have sweet potatoes,” which Dr. Dil said can be harvested in the fall. Tiger Gardens currently grows zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, lentils and leafy greens, then later, sweet potatoes and, in the fall, a mixed garden.

Provided

/

Clemson University

Students from nearby Clemson Elementary School, Central Academy Elementary School and Pendleton Elementary School were trained in garden care and maintenance with help from Clemson Extension.

So what are some meal options that can satisfy both important nutritional needs and a modest budget? To celebrate Tiger Gardens’ 10th anniversary, a handful of students from Dr. Dil’s latest class created a free online cookbook that highlights affordable, nutrient-dense legumes like beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas—protein-rich but inexpensive foods.

The Tiger Gardens: Pulse Cookbook not only provides nutritional information for each recipe, but also the estimated cost per serving. Nutrient-dense and inexpensive dishes include recipes for Sri Lankan red lentil curry, spring pea and cheese tortellini, and chicken tortilla soup.

“Humans need 55 or more essential elements for their overall well-being. More than 600 million people suffer from micronutrient malnutrition,” Dr. Dil said. “We have an obesity corridor in our state, so we wanted to encourage people to eat healthy foods. And one of the ways to add healthy foods to your diet is not just spending money on expensive meat, we can also consume these plant-based proteins, or ‘poor man’s meat.’”

In fact, Dr. Dil developed an organic legume breeding program for the state of South Carolina. “I breed organic peas, lentils and chickpeas. These are new crops for South Carolina,” she says.

So, rather than letting their land lie fallow from January to May, farmers can now plant these legumes. In addition, legumes draw their nitrogen from the air, eliminating the need and cost of fertilizers.

As for nutritional value, Dr. Dil notes that legumes have a protein content of about 20 to 25 grams per 100 grams of a serving. “About 80 percent of that protein is digestible, and it’s good for you.” She adds that legumes are high in poorly digestible carbohydrates, which are released into the bloodstream very slowly, preventing blood sugar from spiking. “Plus, those carbohydrates are high in probiotic carbohydrates, which are a substrate for your probiotics.” She adds that people with gluten sensitivities also benefit from legumes because they are naturally gluten-free.

Will there be more Tiger Gardens cookbooks? Dr. Dil is already planning to expand the menu. While the first cookbook focused on appetizers and starters, his next course will explore baking and ways to create gluten-free meals and breads using legume-based flours, culminating in a culinary class planned for next April.