Legumes or better known as the edible fruit or seeds of legumes called pulses, are a powerhouse food packed with nutrients. These pulses include beans, lentils, green peas, soybeans, and peanuts. This often-overlooked food is a staple in many of the world's oldest cultures, and oftentimes some of the healthiest cultures.

What is so great about these pulses and why should you incorporate them into your daily diet?

Benefits of Legumes/Pulses

Legumes have been long known in vegan and vegetarian diets as a great source of protein however, they provide much more than just protein.

• High in protein: Legumes are an excellent source of plant protein. This makes legumes a great way to boost your protein intake while keeping your saturated fat intake at a minimum.

• Good source of fiber: Legumes are also a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber, which can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and regularity. In addition to a healthy GI tract, soluble fiber can reduce LDL-cholesterol in the body by helping excrete it through the colon. 

• Complex carbohydrate: These sugars break down slowly in the body which prevents blood sugars spikes and can help prevent and/or improve insulin resistance.

• Low in fat: Legumes are low in fat, making them a heart-healthy choice. 

• Good source of vitamins and minerals: Legumes are packed with vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, and folate.

• May help reduce the risk of chronic diseases: Studies have shown that eating legumes may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Remember that these are the top diseases affecting the majority of people as we age.

Some specific examples of the benefits of pulses include:

• Beans: Beans are a good source of protein, fiber, and iron. They may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Lentils: Lentils are a good source of protein, fiber, and folate. They may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

• Peas: Peas are a good source of protein, fiber, and vitamin C. They may help boost the immune system.

• Peanuts: Good source of protein, healthy fats (mono- and poly-unsaturated), and fiber. They may help reduce LDL cholesterol while improving HDL cholesterol.

Downsides and important cautions about legumes/pulses

As anything in life, these powerhouse foods have some drawbacks but with a little education they are easily averted. 

Raw or dried beans and lentils contain a toxic protein to humans that requires beans to be soaked and cooked to be destroyed. For more info on this protein and other toxins in food, go to Natural Toxins in Food | FDA. 

Canned beans and lentils are already pre-cooked by the manufacturer and are safe to use straight from the can. If you prefer to use dry beans make sure to soak them for at least 5 hours, drain the water and cook for at least 30 min. 

If you are short on time and do not have canned beans, you can use the hot soak method to speed things up. To hot soak beans: use 5 cups of water for 1 cup of beans. Bring beans to a boil for 3 min. Turn off heat and let them soak for 1 hour. Cook for 30 minutes after soaking.

Some pulses such as green peas and fava beans do not have this toxin and can be enjoyed raw. If you are not sure about a food, it is always best to check a trusted reference such as the FDA. 

 

There is also some concern that pulses contain anti-nutrients that are the plants natural form of protection from animals, insects, and infections. In the human body, these anti-nutrients can bind with minerals and prevent them from being absorbed in the GI tract. 

Proper preparation can reduce these anti-nutrients and even if there is a small amount left the health benefits of pulses far outweigh the negatives of these anti-nutrients.

Finally the main downside of eating pulses is that they may produce excess gas in some people. This is due to the fibers in the pulses being consumed by healthy bacteria in our gut which produce gas as a byproduct. 

If excess gas is problematic to you, reducing the amount of pulses you eat or taking an enzyme such as Beano prior to eating can help reduce the gas produced.

Luckily, it has been shown that consuming pulses at least 2x per week can reduce the side effects of excess gas overtime. 

The Key Takeaway

Pulses are the fruit or seed of legumes and come naturally packed with nutrients that are vital to our health. These include beans, lentils, peanuts, green peas, and soybeans. 

Despite the few drawbacks of pulses, the health benefits of including these in your diet on a regular basis far outweighs these.

Ideally try to find ways to incorporate pulses into your meals at least 1x/day. Luckily, there are thousands of recipes online that make incorporating these powerhouse foods into your daily diet easy. 

Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD