How many different legumes are there

These are shaped round and have a very thick skin. These chickpeas are a little hard and dry and as a result, they require an extra bit of cooking to be soft and tender. After being soaked in water and cooked their small texture becomes bigger.

These are also a rich source of nutrients. Lentils were originated from Asia. Now it is a popular food worldwide for its taste and unique quality.

These are usually flat and round. But there are several more varieties based on their size and taste. Here are some of them. Castilian lentils are yellowish. As the Castilian lentils are larger in shape, these are more preferred to use in the salad. Besides these lentils can also be eaten after being cooked.

Brown lentils are among the most common lentils worldwide and are regularly seen in the grocery shop near you. These are brownish but some species might be dark black as well. Brown lentils are usually flavorful and mild in taste. Brown lentils can hold their shape well but take around half an hour to be cooked.

These are a rich source of protein and other vital nutrients. Quick lentils are named this way because they are easy to cook. These take pretty less amount of time to be cooked compared to other lentils. But peanuts are legumes. Peanuts are originated in the continent of South America.

Peanuts are eaten raw in most countries but specifically, in the U. Rather they eat peanut by roasting eat or by making peanut butter. Peanut products include peanut butter, peanut oil, flour, etc. These are often used in various dessert food dishes like cakes, sweets, confectionaries, etc. Peanut has a rich combination of nutrients like protein, fat, carbohydrate and many more.

Peanuts are very healthy for people of any age. Legume provides various nutrients. Every single member of the plant family has its unique combination of nutrients in it. It can be very essential for the human body. Some of them are given below:. Fiber: This food provides both insoluble and soluble vegetable fibers.

It is an ideal choice for preventing constipation. Protein: They are mostly rich in protein. But as long as people are eating them with other food dishes they become healthier to eat.

Protein value differs from plant to plant. Many of them contain a very high percentage and others contain less percentage. Vitamins and Minerals: This crop contains valuable vitamins and minerals.

B group vitamin is most common among the vitamins. It also contains a good percentage of folic acid. Among minerals, it provides zinc, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and a low percentage of sodium as well. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are a great source of energy for the human body. Although some people follow dietary plans of low or no carbohydrates, most people are ready to consume food full of carbohydrates.

They bear a great percentage of carbohydrates and it is a healthy nutrient for people. Sugar: The amount of sugar present in legumes is very low. Due to the low percentage of sugar, it can be a great food to have for diabetic patients as well as people who want to prevent diabetes in the future.

Fat: The percentage of fat in this crop is also very low. It makes them an attractive food item to have for all kinds of people. Besides the consumption of a high percentage of fat can cause various diseases like heart diseases. But, pulse prevents it to happen. Often these crops are planted in the between after harvesting first and before planting the second crop of two main crops, Farmers grow these plants to enrich soil fertility. Because it is capable to absorb Ammonia N3 [a form of Nitrogen N 2 that plants can use] in the soil.

The process of absorbing Ammonia in the soil is called nitrogen fixation. As these plant roots can produce their own Nitrogen. These bacteria take nitrogen from the air and convert it into Ammonia the It is a major fertilizer nutrient needed by all plants for growth.

In the fall, when the root is pulled up, the unused nitrogen is left in the land. One final thing of note — you can't eat lentils raw. This is true for most legumes, as legumes often contain significant amounts of lectin, which can cause all sorts of unappealing outcomes including vomiting, not fun.

Peanuts are the legume that you may not have known was a legume. Peanuts are called nuts due to the similarities in texture and nutritional composition between these and botanical nuts.

For that matter, many of the foods that we call nuts aren't technically nuts at all. Peanuts do have an advantage over tree nuts — they're much cheaper. A bag of peanuts or a jar of peanut butter won't set you back much at all, while the same amount of almonds would be a completely different story. Because of this, peanuts are an easy way to add more protein to your diet.

For example, peanut butter on toast for breakfast will give you more sustainable energy than jam on toast will. Plus, peanuts are one of the few legumes that you can safely eat raw. You can easily throw them in meals too, like adding raw peanuts to a stir-fry.

Split peas are simply peas — either green peas or yellow peas. The difference between the two is in how they are processed. To make a split pea, a regular pea is peeled and dried. Natural splitting occurs as the pea is dried and this splitting can be enhanced mechanically. Split peas can be soaked before you cook them, but this isn't essential. If you do soak them, the cooking time decreases from between 1 and 2 hours to roughly 40 minutes.

So, you can follow whichever approach works best for your schedule. When cooking the peas, you can stop as soon as they are tender.

However, you can also keep cooking them until they start to fall apart. This is especially good if you're making split pea soup, as you end up with a softer texture.

Many people use split peas to make split pea soup and little else. But, you can make other meals using split peas too, including curry, salad, and even hummus. Plus, just like lentils, split peas are inexpensive. They're an easy way to enjoy nutritious food without spending too much money. Soybeans are one of the most interesting legumes out there, as this type of bean is used in so many different ways. For one thing, soybeans are often processed to create oil.

The oil can then be refined to create cooking oil or for industrial use. You'll often see soybean oil used as an ingredient in processed foods, including bread, cookies, pies, and salad dressings.

Soybeans have other uses too, like being used in industry or as animal feed. But, today we're most interested in the way that people like you and I rely on soybeans. Soy milk is one example. This is sometimes used as an alternative to dairy milk and is also an ingredient in various foods, such as tofu. Some fermented foods rely on soybeans too, such as natto, soy sauce, tempeh, and fermented bean paste.

The widespread use of soybeans is partly because they are inexpensive to produce. However, the legume is more controversial than most. In addition to the concerns that surround all legumes, some writers worry about the phytoestrogens in soybeans. These compounds have a structural similarity to estrogen, which could potentially be a problem. While there's little evidence to support concerns about phytoestrogens, watching your soybean intake is probably a good idea.

After all, soybeans are used in many foods, in one form or another, so it would be easy to consume a large amount of the legume without meaning to. Chickpeas all come from the species Cicer arietinum , but there are now multiple varieties, such as the light tan Kabuli chickpea and the Desi chickpea that comes in various colors. Chickpeas are particularly well-known as an ingredient in hummus and in falafel.

Chickpeas can be used in other ways too, including soups, salads, stews, and curries. Roasted chickpeas have also become popular. These are an easy and nutritious snack that contains fewer calories than nuts, making them a relevant weight loss snack. Boiling is the main method of cooking chickpeas. This can take a while, especially if the chickpeas were dried. Soaking the chickpeas first reduces the cooking time.

Other cooking techniques can sometimes be used, such as sous vide or pressure cooking. Different dry beans tend to have similar properties to one another and are often cooked in the same way. You can even substitute one type for another in a recipe without too many problems, especially if you choose similar beans.

This helps your body to absorb nutrients and decreases the risk of any digestion problems. It's also critical that you cook your beans before eating them. Beans can easily make you sick if they are raw or haven't been properly cooked. This is true for all the beans we're covering here and all the ones that we miss.

Navy beans are small and white. They can easily be found canned or dried at many grocery stores. Their mild flavor makes them an easy choice as an ingredient. They can also be substituted for cannellini beans or Great Northern beans in recipes, as the three types of beans have similar flavor profiles. Their name comes from the fact that their pods twist like snakes. They are darker than pinto beans, but the mottled dark brown patterns are fairly similar. Their flavor, too, is similar, although deeper and richer.

Popular uses: soups, stews Substitute: pinto beans. Origin: Peru Profile: small red beans are related to kidney beans and used extensively in Mexican and Caribbean cuisines. On one side, they have a white eye with a black ring around it. Just like red kidney beans, red beans contain high amount of phytohemagglutinin, and thus should never be consumed raw.

They have a milder flavor, and a softer creamier texture compared to kidney beans, but hold their shape well once cooked. Popular uses: Louisiana red beans and rice, salads, soups, stews Substitute: kidney beans, pinto beans. Origin: Central America Profile: scarlet runner beans are a heirloom variety related to eye of the goat beans used predominantly in Mexican and Caribbean cuisines. Most varieties have vibrant red flowers that are often grown as ornamental plants.

The beans are large 0. They have a savory, very nutty, almost meaty flavor with a starchy to creamy texture. Because of their thick skins, they hold their shape well during cooking, yet they also exude beautiful bean broth. Popular uses: salads, soups, stews Substitute: eye of the goat beans. Lentil is a small legume seed belonging to the Lens culinaris genus.

With their flat, round shape, lentils differ from both peas which have a perfectly round, spherical shape and beans which typically have an oval, elongated shape. There are hundreds of varieties of lentils, with over 50 varieties cultivated for food.

They come in a variety of colors, sizes, and can be sold with or without the seed coat, whole or split. Below is a list of the most common lentils.

They are the most flavorful, nutritious, and highest in protein variety of lentils. They are tiny 0. Beluga lentils have a delicate taste and are fantastic at absorbing other flavors. Their thicker skin helps them hold their shape and retain al dente chewy texture even when cooked all the way through. This makes them ideal for use where a high-contrast lentil with a sturdy structure is desired. Cooking instructions: simmer until tender, minutes. Popular uses: salads, stuffing for vegetables Substitute: Puy lentils.

Origin: India Profile: black lentils are significant in traditional Indian medicine Ayurveda , where they are used to treat various ailments. Compared to beluga lentils, black lentils are bigger 0. Their black coat has a strong, nutty flavor, but the white inside is rather bland. The texture is unusually mucilaginous and gluey when cooked.

Cooking instructions: simmer until tender, for minutes. Popular uses: dal makhani Indian stew , dosa Indian savory crepe , idly Indian savory rice cake , papad Indian flatbread , vada Indian savory fried snacks Substitute: split black lentils.

They range in color from light brown to very dark brown that is almost black. Their flavor is mild with only slightly earthy undertones, and their texture is relatively firm the smaller the lentil, the firmer the texture when cooked.

Brown lentils come in 3 different sizes — large, medium, and small. Next on the popularity list is a medium-size marrone lentil 0.

The classic small brown lentil is Spanish pardina lentil 0. Popular uses: burgers, casseroles, lentil-based loafs, soups, stews Substitute: green lentils. Origin: Italy Profile: Castelluccio lentils come from Umbria. These lentils are one of the tiniest lentils out there 0. Castelluccio lentils have a big presence in the culinary world where they are highly prized for their nutty, sightly earthy flavor.

They have a delicate, tender texture, but retain their shape well once cooked. Cooking instructions: simmer until tender, 30 minutes. Popular uses: salads, side dish Substitute: Puy lentils.

While still whole and not split as are red chief lentils , they are peeled with their rusty brown outer seed coat removed. Crimson lentils are mild, slightly sweet, smooth and buttery. They are known for their quick-cooking nature, and not holding their shape well in cooking. Popular uses: sauces, soups, stews Substitutes: red lentils. Origin: Central Asia Profile: green lentils are the most common variety of lentils in Europe. And, just to confuse matters even more, they are sometimes referred to as brown lentils.

Green lentils are very similar to brown lentils, but their flavor is more robust and slightly peppery. Their texture is relatively firm and they hold their shape well once cooked. Just like brown lentils, green lentils come in 3 different sizes. The most popular large green lentil variety is Laird lentil 0. This is the lentil commonly found in European supermarkets.

If the green lentil is medium-size, it is most likely Richlea lentil 0. The classic small green lentil variety is Eston lentil 0. Popular uses: salads, soups, stews, stuffed vegetables Substitute: brown lentils. Origin: France Profile: Puy lentils are the original green lentils harvested in the rich volcanic soils of Le Puy, France.

Puy lentils have a dark, bluish-slate-green color and are about one third the size of green lentils 0. They are well-known for their nutty, peppery flavor and a creamy texture. What makes these lentils so special is their delicate thin membrane caused by the special growing conditions which prevent the lentils from maturing fully. With thicker skins come a longer cooking time though. Popular uses: salads, light soups, side dishes Substitute: beluga lentils.

The brown seed coat has a nutty, earthy flavor whereas the interior is mild and slightly sweet. Just like their hulled cousins petite crimson , red lentils tend to fall apart and turn golden during cooking.

Popular uses: soups, stews Substitute: crimson lentils. Origin : India Profile : ivory lentils are actually peeled and split black lentils black gram. Ivory lentils have a mild, earthy flavor and a creamy texture. Because they have no skin, they cook relatively fast.

Popular uses : dosa Indian savory crepe , idly Indian steamed rice cake , papad Indian flatbread , vada Indian savory fried snacks , soups, and purees.

Substitute : split black lentils. These lentils are small 0. Regardless of the hue, they are mild, sweet, and tend to disintegrate when cooked, which makes them ideal for thickening purposes. Split red lentils are the fastest cooking lentil variety. Cooking instructions: simmer until tender, 10 minutes. Popular uses : dal Indian stew , purees, soups Substitutes : split yellow lentils.

Main producer : India Profile : yellow lentils are the most common lentil used in India. Yellow lentils are tiny 0.

They have a mild sweet flavor, and a buttery, creamy texture. Popular uses : kichidi Indian rice and lentils , moong dal Indian stew Substitute : red split lentils. Pea is a small spherical seed belonging to the Pisum sativum genus. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. We tend to refer to spherical pulses as peas and oval pulses as beans.

Some other differentiating factors include their physiological structure peas have a hollowed-out stem, whereas beans have a more solid stem , cultivation peas thrive in a cold environment whereas beans can only grow in warm regions , and growing patterns peas employ tendrils to increase the traction on the pole or framework, while beans can only twist around the vertical supporting structure, creating a spiral pattern.

Just like lentils, peas come in a variety of colors, sizes, and are sold whole or split. Below is a list of the most common dry peas. Main producer : Southwest Asia the exact origin is unknown Profile : peas have a long legacy in the human diet, being among the first crops cultivated by man.

Whole green peas are small 0. They have a mild flavor although not as mild as yellow peas , a soft granular texture, and a sweet, earthy essence. Popular uses : soups, spreads, stews Substitute : yellow peas. Main producer : India Profile : dried pigeon peas are the most common pulse in India.

They are also very popular in Caribbean and African cuisines. Pigeon peas have a strong nutty and earthy flavor, and a firm crisp texture even when cooked all the way through.

Popular uses : Arroz con Gandules Caribbean rice and peas Substitute : black eyed peas. Main producer : Southwest Asia the exact origin is unknown Profile : whole yellow peas are small 0.