Legumes are plants in the Leguminosae family, or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Common types of legumes include soybeans, peanuts, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils and lupins.
Regular consumption of legumes (just 50g per day) has been associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases including coronary heart disease. Soy intake has been associated with reduced risk of breast and prostate cancer, due to their isoflavone content.
Legumes are a key feature in the diets of the longest-lived people on our planet - those who reside in the Blue Zones. Blue Zones are a small group of geographical areas around the globe where people live the longest, healthiest lives. These zones include Okinawa, Sardinia and Ikaria. One of the key commonalities of Blue Zone residents is that they consume plant-based diets, rich in legumes.
Legumes: Pros
Legumes have a very low glycemic index (GI) - they are great for blood sugar level control and improving satiety
Legumes are a great source of plant protein. Soy protein is one of the few plant proteins that is 'complete' - meaning it contains all of the nine (9) essential amino acids
Legumes are an excellent source of fibre
Legumes are rich in pre-biotic fibre. This is the type that stimulates the growth of your healthy gut bacteria
Legumes are high in phytochemicals (plant chemicals) which possess antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic effects
Legumes are inexpensive.
Legumes are rich in iron, B vitamins, magnesium, potassium and zinc
Increased consumption of legumes has been identified as an environmentally sustainable dietary choice.
Legumes: Cons
Some people experience bloating and flatulence when they first start to include legumes, so when increasing your legume consumption, do so gradually.
Legumes are a rich source of oligosaccharides and most are therefor not suitable for people doing the low FODMAP diet. Small amounts of red lentils, black beans and chickpeas are suitable, and I encourage those on a low FODMAP diet to include these as they are an excellent source of prebiotics.
Legumes are rich in the anti-nutrient, phytate. There is some evidence that phytates reduce the absorption of certain nutrients such as iron, zinc and calcium. However, when included as part of a diverse and balanced diet legumes don't seem to significantly impair mineral status. Processing techniques such as soaking, fermentation, sprouting, germinating, and cooking have all been found to reduce the presence of phytates.
How to incorporate legumes in your diet
Dried legumes are easy to find at your local supermarket. Most need soaking and rinsing before cooking to soften and reduce the presence of the anti-nutrient, phytate.
Put your legumes into a saucepan, pour plenty of water on top (four cups per one cup of beans) and sit overnight (or eight hours). Don't forget to rinse before cooking. This helps reduce the oligosaccharides which can help reduce flatulence! In your saucepan, cover the rinsed legumes with fresh water (around three cups per one cup of legumes), bring to a gentle boil on the stovetop, then simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. The total cooking time can be anywhere between 30 minutes to over two hours depending on the bean size. Follow the instructions on the packet.
Red, yellow, green and brown lentils, and split peas, do not need soaking and are great additions to soups, curries and pasta sauces.
Canned legumes are a great option as they can sit in your pantry for long periods. I always have them on hand so I can make a quick, healthy meal or pop them in a salad. Make sure you give them a rinse before using - this will reduce the oligosaccharides (which can cause flatulence) and sodium.
add four bean mix, chickpeas or lentils to salads
use chickpeas or lentils to curries and dahl
add lentils or split peas to soups and stews
add kidney beans or black beans to chilli and Mexican dishes
halve the meat in your mince or stew recipes and replace with red lentils to reduce the cost and increase the fibre
Challenge yourself to add more legumes to your diet today!
Try these recipes:
Lentil vegie dahl: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/lentil-vegie-dhal/me4kqout
Vegetable barley soup: https://www.sanitarium.com.au/recipes/a-z/vegetable-barley-soup
Mediterranean bean salad: https://www.sanitarium.com.au/recipes/a-z/mediterranean-bean-salad
Kidney Bean Burgers: https://www.vegkit.com/recipes/mushroom-kidney-bean-veggie-burger/
In short:
Legumes are inexpensive nutrition powerhouses that have many beneficial health benefits.
Want to discuss other nutritious meat-replacements?
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References:
Buettner D, Skemp S. Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2016;10(5):318-321.
Hughes, J., Pearson, E., & Grafenauer, S. (2022). Legumes-A Comprehensive Exploration of Global Food-Based Dietary Guidelines and Consumption. Nutrients, 14(15), 3080.
Fengmei Zhu, Bin Du & Baojun Xu(2018) Anti-inflammatory effects of phytochemicals from fruits, vegetables, and food legumes: A review, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition,58:8,1260-1270
Petroski, W., & Minich, D. M. (2020). Is There Such a Thing as "Anti-Nutrients"? A Narrative Review of Perceived Problematic Plant Compounds. Nutrients, 12(10), 2929
Willett, W. (2019). Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. Lancet (London, England), 393(10170), 447–492.
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