Legumes Nutritional Value

Legumes are the plants in which the seeds grow in pods. When a pod splits into two valves, the seeds are attached to one of the valves. For example, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, peanuts etc., are common grain legumes. The seeds of the grain legumes are known as pulses. Use of lentils is common and popular since early Bible times.

Legume plants are well-known for their ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. The oil derived from the legumes seeds is used for industrial purposes. Some legumes are cultivated for their flowers. Lupins is one of them. Indigofera and acacia are grown for dye and natural gum production. These are industrially farmed. Some are farmed for timber production while some are cultivated for exploiting the high levels of captured atmospheric nitrogen found in the roots of these legumes.

Legumes Nutritional Facts

• Beans and lentils contain carbohydrates and they are high in folate, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, calcium, and selenium. Soybeans and some other beans are packed with saponins which is an anti-inflammatory compound helping your immune system to protect you against cancer. Saponins lowers your cholesterol. This factor is responsible for the high nutritional value of legumes. The ground, powdered soy-bean products are excellent and provide a flour substitute for cookies and cakes. Remember, overcooking of beans may destroy saponins.
• Legumes have relatively low quantities of the essential amino acid methionine. They are high in essential amino acid lysine. Grains are low in lysine and high in methionine. Hence a combination of grains and legumes is the best combination for a balanced diet. Indian Dal and Rice is the best example of this type of diet. Tofu with rice, beans with corn tortillas, wheat bread and peanut butter are some other examples.
• They are low in sugar and fat and high in proteins. They are healthy and can be cooked and eaten in curry, stew, soup, salad, etc. They can be used as meat substitutes. They give you a feeling of satiation.
• Soybeans, garbanzo beans and chickpeas, etc. contain the flavonoids, which work as the female hormone estrogen, providing the women, some relief from menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes.
• Beans contain a sugar called oligosaccharide which your digestion can't break down. So, they cause intestinal gas or flatulence. Cooking the beans with a pinch of asafetida can prevent flatulence.
• As legumes contain a small amount of certain uric-acid-forming substances (chemically known as purins), they should be avoided by the individuals facing the problem of gout.
• They do not contain cholesterol. Thus, they prevent heart diseases.
• They have a significant amount of fiber to prevent constipation and help improve the digestive health.
• Legumes nutritional value plays an important role in maintaining the overall health of a person as they are packed with iron, vitamins, lime, protein, fiber and starch.
• They are lower on the glycemic index chart. High glycemic foods can weaken your resistance to the development of cancer.

Calories in Beans and Legumes

Name of the Beans/Legumes	Total Calories
Sugar Free Baked Beans (4 oz)	125
Boiled Blackeyed Peas (4 oz)	120
Canned Chickpeas (4 oz)	75
Canned Garbanzo Beans (4 oz)	75
Canned Borlotti Beans (4 oz)	170
Canned Sweetened Adzuki Beans (4 oz)	270
Canned Kidney Beans (4 oz)	94
Soy Milk(4 fl. oz)	60
Chickpea Flour (1 Cup/92 gm)	356

It can be safely concluded that legumes help boost your overall health. As you know, legumes are available as fresh, dried, canned products all over the world and they come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes, it is quite natural that they are invariably used in daily food by people of all origins.