May 2012/Prepared Foods -- Enjoyed by many cultures around the world for centuries, legumes (beans and pulses) are increasingly sought out by North American consumers and used by food manufacturers—for their taste, excellent nutritional profile and versatility. Because they are gluten-free, they have very low allergenicity. They also offer a “clean” label; except for some soy varieties, pulses and legumes are non-GMO (genetically modified organism).
The legume family, Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), includes the oilseeds (peanuts and soybeans) and the dried “grain pulses” (lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans). The word “pulse” is derived from the Latin words puls, or pultis, meaning thick soup. Pulses are an incredibly nutrient-dense whole food and considered an excellent source of folate and thiamine at 20% or more of the recommended daily intake (RDI) per serving; a good source of pyridoxine (10-19% RDI/serving); and a source of riboflavin and niacin (≥ 5% RDI/serving). They contain a number of important minerals, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, selenium and zinc.