What are legumes

What are legumes

Legumes

Legumes are a family of plants that produce centuries in which seeds, lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans, soybeans, and peanuts are among the most common edible legumes, all of which vary in shape, taste and use. Legumes are also a good source of proteins, It is a healthy alternative to meat that has high levels of cholesterol and fat. It is low in fat and does not contain cholesterol. It is rich in folate, potassium, and magnesium. It also contains useful fats and soluble and insoluble fibers.

The nutritional value of some pulses and their benefits

Lentils

Lentils are very nutritious legumes, rich in minerals, proteins and fiber. The 100 grams of cooked lentils contains the following:

Food ingredient the value
Calories 116 calories
Protein 9 g
Fats 0.3 g
Carbohydrates 20.13 g
Fiber 7.9 g
Sugar 1.8 g
Fullett 45% of the recommended daily value
Iron 36% of the recommended daily value
Manganese 70% of the recommended daily value
The Phosphorus 28% of the recommended daily value
Thiamin 58% of the recommended daily value
Potassium 14% of the recommended daily value
Vitamin B6 127% of the recommended daily value

Benefits of lentils:

  • Promote heart health: Potassium, folic acid, and fiber in lentils support heart health, reducing the risk of heart disease when replacing meat that contains saturated fat, trans fats, with foods containing large amounts of fiber and proteins such as lentils.
  • Pregnancy: Folate is very important in pregnancy to prevent disabilities and congenital defects. It reduces the probability of premature birth by 50% or more when consumed for at least one year before pregnancy, and one cup of lentils provides the body with about 90% of the body’s daily needs.
  • Anti-fatigue: Iron deficiency is the common cause of fatigue, and lentils are a good source of non-heme iron. A cup of cooked lentils contains one-third of a person’s daily iron needs.

The peas

The 170 grams of peas, equivalent to half a cup, contains the following:

Food ingredient the value
Calories 62 calories
Carbohydrates 11 g
Fiber 4 g
Protein 4 g
Vitamin A 34% of the recommended daily value
Vitamin K 24% of the recommended daily value
vitamin C 13% of the recommended daily value
Thiamine 15% of the recommended daily value
Fullett 12% of the recommended daily value
Manganese 11% of the recommended daily value
Iron 7% of the recommended daily value

Benefits of peas:

  • Enhance sense of satiety: Peas is one of the best sources of plant protein, which increases the intake of certain levels of hormones in the blood that reduce appetite, and proteins work with fiber to reduce the speed of digestion and enhance the sense of satiety.
  • Control of blood sugar levels: The low-glycemic index needs a diet containing low glycemic index foods helps regulate blood sugar levels, as well as fiber’s ability to reduce carbohydrate uptake.
  • Promote digestive health: Fiber feeds beneficial bacteria in the intestines and prevents the proliferation of harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer.

Peanuts

100 g peanuts contain:

Food ingredient the value
Calories 567 calories
Protein 25.8 g
Carbohydrates 16.1 g
Sugar 4.7 g
Fiber 8.5 g
Total fat 49.2 g
Saturated fat 6.28 g
Monounsaturated fats (monounsaturated fats) 24.43 g
Polyunsaturated fats (polyunsaturated fats) 15.56 g
Omega-6 (Omega-6) 15.56 g

Benefits of peanuts:

  • Disease prevention: Studies have shown that eating peanuts five times a week reduced the risk of heart disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease, and colorectal cancer, including a diet DASH diet for the reduction of high blood pressure
  • Anti-aging: Peanuts contain resveratrol, which is likely to fight aging.
  • Lower Cholesterol Levels: The levels of cholesterol in women in menopause, who have high levels of it, that the levels of cholesterol have decreased when they follow a diet low-fat, and contains a healthy diet of peanuts, but it should be noted that peanuts are one of the most responsive foods sensitive action in some people, usually allergic to life and sometimes threatening, so it is recommended to avoid eating peanuts and any product contained.

Anti-nutrients

Legumes contain substances called anti-nutrients, which interfere with the digestion and absorption of other nutrients. Here are some of them:

  • Phytic Acid: Phytic acid is found in all edible plant seeds, especially legumes, and inhibits the absorption of iron, zinc and calcium, which may increase the risk of a deficiency in these minerals. However, this is common only when eating low meat and rely entirely on foods containing acid at high levels, soaking can reduce the legume content of phytic acid, increasing its nutritional value.
  • Lectin: Lecithins are proteins found in legumes and constitute about 10% of the total protein content, which are found especially in red beans. Many studies have shown that large quantities are toxic. As a general rule, beans should not be taken unless they are cooked before a night of cooking. Not cooked well and processed, but the amount of lactin found in the rest of legumes is not enough to show symptoms in humans.