Asociación Española de Dietistas - Nutricionistas

A bit of history...
Leguminous plants were among the first crops grown by man. Their history goes back to the Neolithic era, when man moved from being a hunter-gatherer to producing food through his own work.
The great civilizations (Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia) were those that gave the definitive impulse to legumes in our diet, as a consequence of the increasing urban settlement of the population, which made possible and necessary the development of agriculture.
In the Old World the cultivation of leguminous plants occupies a second but important place in the beginnings of agriculture, coming after cereals. The remains of peas and lentils dating from 5,500 years B,C. have been found in Turkey.
In the American continent remains have been found dated at 4,000 B.C., which demonstrates that leguminous plants appear early in the evolution of agriculture also in the New World. The beans which came from the New World were soon incorporated into the Mediterranean diet.
Thus we can say that dried legumes have for centuries been a basic food in the Mediterranean region, North Africa, Mexico, Central and South America, the Middle East and China.

LENTILS: The Romans considered them as originating from Egypt. This ancient civilization held them in high esteem as a much appreciated food and in common use in their diet. This is the first legume to be mentioned in the Bible. Nowadays it is grown in most parts of the world, in several different varieties.

CHICKPEAS: Their origin is in the lands bordering the eastern Mediterranean and in Mesopotamia. They are widely cultivated from the Middle Eastern countries to the north of India.

BEANS:: As opposed to the legumes described above, beans are leguminous plants that have been cultivated in America since remote times. The Spanish discovered this crop (together with many other vegetables) in Central and South America, and from there they were introduced into Europe.

PEAS:The antiquity of the pea as a cultivated leguminous plant is indisputable. Remains have been found in Switzerland, in Egyptian tombs and in the ruins of Troy. In ancient Rome it was a food regularly eaten and much appreciated.

BROAD BEANS: It seems that this is another leguminous plant cultivated from the earliest times in Europe. Evidence of this comes from seeds found associated with remains from the Iron and Bronze Ages.

SOYA This legume is not normally consumed in Spain, but it is becoming better known and consumption is growing. Soya was first cultivated in China and it is the first legume of which we have written evidence (in the books of emperor Sheu Nung in 2800 B.C). However, soya was not introduced into Europe until the eighteenth century and it was also at that time that it reached American in the ballast of the boats.

What do they supply in terms of nutrition?
Nutritionally, legumes are noted for their high protein content, but being of vegetable origin the protein cannot be considered complete, as there is a lack of the amino acid Methionine. If we combine them with foods rich in this amino acid -such as cereals- we can achieve a very significant protein quality, which can be equalled to that of meat.

egumes are very low in lipids and fats (soya is richer in fats than the others) and these fats are polyunsaturated, so that they contribute to regulating the levels of cholesterol in the blood. Thus, by combining legumes with cereals (e.g. lentils with rice) we can supply a complete protein, such as we obtain from meat products, with the advantage that the vegetable food does not contain saturated fats or cholesterol, characteristics of foods of animal origin.
The carbohydrates in legumes are complex and slowly absorbed, so that the glucose passes into the blood progressively, thus avoiding an overload on the pancreas in the secretion of insulin. In addition, legumes are very rich in fibre, which makes them very satisfying, contributes to making the absorption of the carbohydrates even slower and also improves passage through the digestive system, effectively combating constipation. In some people this high level of fibre can cause some discomfort, such as flatulence or an exaggerated increase of peristaltic movements. To avoid these problems legumes can be consumed in the form of puree, thus changing a substantial part of the fibre that they contain. Legumes are also rich in vitamins and minerals. In them we find calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and potassium, group B vitamins, niacin and folic acid.

For all these reasons it is considered that legumes are a basic food in a healthy and balanced diet.
Legumes have not reason to be fattening, and should not be excluded from a diet for weight control if they are cooked lightly (stewed with vegetables, in salads, etc.). In this way very nutritious dishes can be prepared that are low in calories, inexpensive (another great advantage of legumes) and very flavoursome. Lack of time and new fashions in cooking meant that they were relegated to the background and forgotten, but fortunately they are now recovering little by little. Legumes are recommended as part of the diet once or twice a week.

These nutritional values are per 100g of uncooked food. Dry legumes, when cooked, multiply their dry weight by 2.5.

Legumes in our society.

Up to the end of the 1950s legumes were consumed almost daily in Spanish homes (around 13 kilos per person per year). A healthy source of proteins and carbohydrates, they were adaptable to a great variety of preparations and adjusted to the family budget. Since then, consumption has fallen by around 5 kg. per person per year. This reduction is due largely to the false belief that legumes are foods containing a lot of calories.

Nowadays their consumption is encouraged as being healthy foods within the concept of the Mediterranean Diet, and their consumption is promoted in detriment, principally, to meats and fats of animal origin.

There is a multitude of recipes, from the most sophisticated to the simplest and most traditional, capable of delighting the most demanding palate, which enables these foods to be introduced into the diet systematically without becoming monotonous. Who would not be delighted to eat chickpeas with lobster, white haricot beans with clams, lentils with rice, a soup or an "empedrat" with salt cod...?

"Lentils, chickpeas and haricot beans, are good for the intestines" says the wise old popular refrain.

Asociación Española de Dietistas - Nutricionistas