On World Legume Day we review the nutritional benefits of chickpeas, lentils, beans and other less popular legumes such as soybeans, peas, peanuts and lupins.
Although the concept of superfood It has been questioned for a long time by most nutritionists. The truth is that quite a few claim that, if they had to choose any group of foods to be qualified with a superlative, they would choose legumes. And here it is worth thinking, yes, about chickpeas, lentils and beans, which are the best known, but it is also appropriate to remember that, according to the Spanish Food Code, pea, broad bean, soy, lupine, carob and peanut.
Each type of legumes It provides variations in its nutrients and phytochemical substances, but what they have in common is that its regular consumption is associated with a hypolipidemic effect (reduces blood lipid levels) and with a protective effect against inflammation the oxidation and liver damage, explains Dr. Elena Aguilar, dietitian-nutritionist and food technologist. It can therefore be ensured that consuming legumes regularly reduces the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, overweight, obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
But it is also advisable to pay attention to other nutritional properties of legumes that we present in the form of a decalogue:
1. Low in fat and with some protein
Legumes contain little water and are rich in complex carbohydrates (starch and dietary fiber) and proteins . Your contribution of fats It is different depending on the type of legume since soybeans and peanuts are considered oilseeds, with 20% lipids, while grain legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and beans barely contain between 1-4% lipids, as revealed by Dr. Aguilar.
2. Rich in vitamins and minerals
They are rich in bioactive compounds ( phytochemicals ) such as phytoestrogens, phytosterols and flavonoids with beneficial effects on health, although there are differences between each legume in terms of the quantity, nutritional quality and typology of phytochemicals.
Among its micronutrients, the B vitamins (folic acid), vitamin E and potassium but also minerals such as calcium and the magnesium .
3. They calm hunger and improve constipation
The fiber The nutritional value that legumes provide contributes to a more moderate blood sugar response (and slower absorption), which allows us to stay satiated for longer and helps regulate intestinal transit.
4. They increase their powers well combined
It is advisable to consume legumes 3-4 times a week (each raw serving would be between 20-30 grams). Although the ideal thing to complete the amino acid profile of legumes and to achieve a protein quality of greater biological value is to accompany them with cereals, as was traditionally done (lentils with rice, for example).
5. They help slow aging
It is known that increasing the consumption of legumes, whole grains and nuts while reducing the consumption of red meat and processed meat increases life expectancy more than 10 years in women and up to 13 years on average in the case of men, according to a study by the University of Bergen (Norway) published in the journal ‘PLOS Medicine’.
6. They soak for health reasons
Legumes contain certain phytochemicals (saponins, protease inhibitors, hemagglutinins, cyanogenetic glycosides…) that act as antinutrients that is, as Dr. Aguilar explains, they can cause adverse effects on the bioavailability of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and enzymatic inhibition. By soaking, especially chickpeas and beans, these antinutrients are neutralized.
7. If you feel bad, you should do this
It is common to hear that many people suffer discomfort after consuming legumes and this is due, as Elisa Escorihuela explains in ‘Nutrition Classroom’, to their high content of FODMAPs (frutactans, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols). To reduce these discomfort The expert suggests adding baking soda to the soaking water, cooking the legumes with more than twice as much water as their weight, and rinsing them after cooking.
To improve the digestibility Of legumes, some experts advise adding spices such as cumin, anise, pepper, fennel, cloves and bay leaf in culinary preparations, both cold and hot.
8. It is easy to choose the one with the highest quality
As a general rule, the fewer ingredients that appear on the label of what we are going to buy in the supermarket, the better. The ideal is that in the label The name of the legume in question appears first and then the water and salt. As for it, it is important to choose preserves that provide less than 1.2 grams of salt per 100 grams of product.
9. Culinary versatility
They are more popular and traditional spoon dishes with chickpeas, lentils and beans as the protagonists, but the versatility of legumes in the kitchen makes it possible to prepare all types of preparations. You can make hummus-type pâtés, hamburgers and vegetable meatballs, cold salads or it is even possible to buy “pasta” made from legumes in the supermarket.
Although it is common to get rid of the liquid that accompanies canned legumes or the leftover from having cooked them at home, the truth is that it can be useful to give flavor and consistency to other preparations or even as the main ingredient in some recipes, depending on the culinary proposals. from the dietitian-nutritionist Ana Núñez.
10. They contribute to protecting the planet
The cultivation of legumes fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere and contributes it to the soil, which acts as a natural fertilizer, reducing the need to use synthetic fertilizers. Furthermore, it is necessary less water for its production when compared to foods rich in proteins of animal origin, such as chicken or beef. In fact, according to the FAO, the cultivation of legumes helps combat climate change.
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