‘Legume’, which is identified as a superfood, comes from the family of Leguminosae or Fabacceae, making it the world’s third largest family of flowering plants. It consist of almost 20,000 different species and has been a prime part of culinary tradition since the beginning of human history. However, it has never clearly been mentioned how and where the cultivation of legume was first discovered. Moreover, in most cases the terms are also used interchangeably as ‘pulses’ or ‘beans’ for legumes.
Legumes are agriculturally grown for human consumption and livestock. They are also used as green manure to enhance the quality of soil for organic and conventional farming and also add nitrogen to the soil.
In recent times the consumption of legume has been advised to increase by experts for its excellence in health benefits and for maintaining a legacy of healthy life on the planet. In 2019, February 10th has been proclaimed as World Pulses Day by the UN General Assembly to educate people about its several nutritional advantages and characteristics as a major part of sustainable food production.
Produce botanically an unique fruit type
Legumes are primarily defined as dry seeds. While the well-known legumes are beans, chick-peas, soybeans, peanuts, lentils, tamarind, and clover etc, legumes botanically produce a unique type of simple dry fruit that develops from carpal and then dehisces from two sides.
Legumes are used in many products for its versatility, these include tofu, peanut butter, and hummus. They also play the role of key ingredients in a wide range of plant-based meat alternatives.
Red adzuki beans are used as paste to prepare sweets in Asia whereas the black beans are popular in Mexico and Brazil. Moreover, the white cannellini beans are used in many Italians dishes as well.
Legumes are grown in a rotating system in order to alternate their cultivation with cereals and this shows in the enhancement of biomass of the soil and reducing the risk of erosion and soil depletion. Moreover, pulses can be dried and stored for a long period of time without losing its nutritional value and this eventually results in reducing and minimising food waste.
Health benefits
Legumes are loaded with various health benefits as they are low in fat, have zero cholesterol and provide the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk. Legumes have lysine which consists of amino acids, they also have powerful antioxidants called polyphenols.
Legumes are rich in protein and satiating and considered as a significant source of dietary fibre, dietary minerals and carbohydrate. For example, 100 grams of cooked chickpeas contains 18% of daily value (DV). They are a good source of resistant starch which breaks down by bacteria in the large intestine that produce short chain fatty acids utilised by intestinal cells for food energy. They also help in keeping the blood sugar level low.
Moreover, they work as a shield against two types of diabetes and help in controlling weight. And, it also reduces the risk of heart diseases.
Read More: Pulses: The Sun Active Grains
