What Are Legumes?

Legumes are seeds of plants that have matured in a pod. It is an elongated carpel that is folded along the long axis. For some, only these seeds are consumed. With other legumes, the pod is eaten along with the seeds.

The legume family is widely branched and has around 730 genera and around 20,000 species. However, the best known are the different types of beans such as pole beans, bush beans, broad beans, fire beans, kidney beans, and white beans. Peas are also legumes, as are chickpeas, lentils, and soybeans. Peanuts are also legumes and not – as their name might suggest – nuts.

Legumes are good vegan sources of protein, contain plenty of fiber and various nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and iron as well as phytochemicals such as saponins, isoflavones, or alkaloids. These phytochemicals are believed to be anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory.

With the exception of peanuts, green peas, and snow peas, legumes should not be eaten raw. For example, many types of beans and chickpeas contain the indigestible toxin phasin, which causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and causes red blood cells to clump together. However, the phasin is rendered harmless by cooking. Lima and urd beans also contain hydrocyanic acid, which is only released from the legumes when they are soaked and cooked. You can eat the beans afterward, but you should dispose of the soaking and cooking water. In the form of seedlings, however, the legumes do not pose a health risk, even when raw.

Unfortunately, many of the B vitamins found in legumes are lost during cooking. It is therefore advisable to combine them with other fresh vegetables such as peppers, celery or carrots.

You can eat legumes as seedlings, for example as a topping for bread or in salads. Otherwise, legumes are good for stews and soups such as chili con carne – be sure to try our versatile recipes, lentil or pea soup – as our lupine recipes prove. But they can also be processed as side vegetables for meat or fish dishes. Soybeans are also often the basis for vegetarian or vegan spreads, puddings and desserts, milk substitutes, and tofu.