MAKE ROOM ON YOUR PLATE FOR THESE STEALTHY SUPERFOODS

Legumes and pulses are central to many of the world’s healthiest diets, and they should be to yours too.
LEGUMES & PULSES

It’s true, the word ‘legumes’ doesn’t sound super sexy. And it probably doesn’t help that the foods in this family – including lentils, chickpeas, peas, beans – have long been associated with the tasteless, boring vegetarian food of the past. But times are changing, and these humble plant foods are pretty useful in a super diet.

Pulses and legumes are favorites of nutritionists and public health bodies, and tend to pop up in healthy eating advice around the world. Legume is simply the overarching term given to this plant family, while pulses are the sub-group that are harvested for their edible seeds.

Legumes include all members of the pea family, along with soybeans and peanuts. The pulses family includes chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lentils, peas, broad (fava) beans, mung beans and soybeans.