Legumes · Health

Legumes are an affordable, plant-based source of protein, fibre and iron, naturally low in saturated fat. Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate groups beans alongside fish, poultry and nuts as one of its recommended “healthy, versatile protein sources.”

Common legumes

Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, soybeans and edamame are all widely eaten legumes, each bringing a slightly different texture and flavour to meals.

Health influence

Benefit: regular legume consumption is associated with improved blood cholesterol, better blood sugar control and lower cardiovascular risk, thanks to their combination of fibre, plant protein and micronutrients.

Watch for: some people experience bloating or gas when first increasing legume intake, which usually settles as the gut adjusts. Canned legumes can also be high in added sodium unless rinsed or a no-added-salt version is chosen.

Practical choices

Rinse canned legumes to reduce their sodium content.
Increase legume intake gradually if you are not used to eating them often.
Use legumes as a partial or full replacement for meat in some meals.
Add lentils or beans to soups, salads and stews to boost fibre and protein.

Explore

Black Beans

Black Beans

A small, dense, dark bean with an earthy flavour, central to Latin American cooking.

Kidney Beans

Kidney Beans

A large, kidney-shaped bean with a firm texture, common in chilli and stews.

Red Kidney Beans

Red Kidney Beans

The classic dark red variety of kidney bean, must be well cooked to break down natural toxins.

White Kidney Beans

White Kidney Beans

A pale, creamy-textured kidney bean variety, milder than the red version.

Pinto Beans

Pinto Beans

A mottled pink-and-brown bean, most familiar mashed into refried beans.

Navy Beans

Navy Beans

A small, oval white bean with a mild flavour, traditionally used in baked beans.

Cannellini Beans

Cannellini Beans

A large, creamy white Italian bean popular in soups and salads.

Great Northern Beans

Great Northern Beans

A medium-sized white bean with a delicate flavour, often used in soups and casseroles.

Black-Eyed Peas

Black-Eyed Peas

A cream-coloured legume with a distinctive black spot, eaten fresh as a pod vegetable or dried.

Adzuki Beans

Adzuki Beans

A small, sweet red bean common in East Asian cooking, including sweet red bean paste.

Mung Beans

Mung Beans

A small green bean used whole in soups and curries, or sprouted into fresh bean sprouts.

Red Beans

Red Beans

A general term for various dark red beans, often simmered into stews or served with rice.

Lima Beans

Lima Beans

A flat, pale green or white bean with a buttery texture, also known as butter beans.

Butter Beans

Butter Beans

A large, flat, creamy-textured bean, another name for the lima bean.

Fava Beans / Broad Beans

Fava Beans / Broad Beans

Large, fresh beans that are shelled from their pods and often peeled again before eating.

Borlotti Beans

Borlotti Beans

A cream-and-red speckled Italian bean with a nutty, slightly sweet flavour.

Cranberry Beans

Cranberry Beans

Another name for the borlotti bean, named for its speckled cranberry-red markings.

Flageolet Beans

Flageolet Beans

A small, pale green French bean picked before full maturity, prized for its delicate flavour.

Hyacinth Beans

Hyacinth Beans

A flat, purple-tinged bean pod used across African and South Asian cooking, cooked to remove natural toxins.

Winged Beans

Winged Beans

A tropical bean with distinctive frilled, four-winged pods, eaten whole when young.

Yardlong Beans

Yardlong Beans

A very long, slender green bean common in Southeast Asian and Chinese stir-fries.

Brown Lentils

Brown Lentils

The most common lentil variety, holding its shape reasonably well after cooking.

Green Lentils

Green Lentils

A lentil variety that holds its shape firmly when cooked, good in salads and side dishes.

Red Lentils

Red Lentils

A quick-cooking lentil that breaks down into a soft puree, common in dals and soups.

Yellow Lentils

Yellow Lentils

A mild, quick-cooking lentil similar to red lentils, breaking down into a soft texture.

Black Lentils / Beluga Lentils

Black Lentils / Beluga Lentils

A small, glossy black lentil that resembles caviar and holds its shape well when cooked.

Puy Lentils

Puy Lentils

A small, peppery French lentil variety that holds its shape and texture particularly well.

French Green Lentils

French Green Lentils

A firm-textured lentil similar to Puy lentils, holding together well in salads and sides.

Split Red Lentils

Split Red Lentils

Red lentils with the skin removed and split, cooking down quickly into a soft, thick texture.

Split Yellow Lentils

Split Yellow Lentils

Yellow lentils split and hulled, cooking quickly into a soft, mild-flavoured dal.

Masoor Dal

Masoor Dal

The Hindi name for split red lentils, a staple of everyday Indian cooking.

Moong Dal

Moong Dal

Split, hulled mung beans, cooked into a soft, mild dal across South Asian cooking.

Toor Dal / Pigeon Peas

Toor Dal / Pigeon Peas

A mild, earthy split pea used to make the everyday South Indian dal called sambar.

Urad Dal / Black Gram

Urad Dal / Black Gram

A lentil used whole or split in Indian cooking, also fermented into batters for dosa and idli.

Chana Dal / Split Chickpeas

Chana Dal / Split Chickpeas

Split, skinned chickpeas with a nuttier flavour, used widely in Indian dals and snacks.

Kabuli Chickpeas

Kabuli Chickpeas

The larger, pale, smooth-skinned chickpea variety most familiar in Western cooking and hummus.

Desi Chickpeas

Desi Chickpeas

A smaller, darker, rougher-skinned chickpea variety common across South Asian cooking.

Black Chickpeas / Kala Chana

Black Chickpeas / Kala Chana

A small, dark chickpea variety with a firmer texture and earthier flavour than the common pale kind.

Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpeas roasted until crunchy, eaten as a high-protein, high-fibre snack.

Chickpea Flour / Besan

Chickpea Flour / Besan

Flour ground from dried chickpeas, used in batters, flatbreads, and as a gluten-free thickener.

Hummus

Hummus

A creamy dip made from blended chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic.

Chickpea Pasta

Chickpea Pasta

Pasta made from chickpea flour instead of wheat, higher in protein and fibre than regular pasta.

Split Green Peas

Split Green Peas

Dried green peas split in half, cooked down into a thick, hearty soup.

Split Yellow Peas

Split Yellow Peas

Dried yellow peas split in half, similarly cooked into a thick soup or dal.

Pigeon Peas

Pigeon Peas

A mild, earthy split pea used to make the everyday South Indian dal called sambar.

Field Peas

Field Peas

Dried peas grown specifically for drying and splitting, rather than eating fresh.

Pea Protein

Pea Protein

A plant protein extracted from yellow split peas, widely used in protein powders and meat alternatives.

Soybeans

Soybeans

A protein-rich legume that is the base ingredient for tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and many other soy foods.

Edamame

Edamame

Young soybeans harvested and boiled or steamed while still in the pod, usually salted.

Tofu

Tofu

A soybean curd pressed into blocks, prized for its ability to absorb the flavours of whatever it is cooked with.

Silken Tofu

Silken Tofu

A very soft, custard-like tofu variety, best used in smoothies, sauces, or delicate soups.

Firm Tofu

Firm Tofu

A dense tofu variety that holds its shape well for stir-frying or pan-searing.

Extra-Firm Tofu

Extra-Firm Tofu

The densest tofu variety, with the least water content, holding up well to grilling or deep-frying.

Smoked Tofu

Smoked Tofu

Firm tofu that has been smoked for extra flavour, ready to eat straight from the packet.

Fermented Tofu

Fermented Tofu

Tofu preserved through fermentation, developing a pungent, cheese-like flavour.

Tempeh

Tempeh

A firm, nutty-flavoured cake of fermented, whole soybeans, with more texture and fibre than tofu.

Natto

Natto

Fermented soybeans with a distinctive sticky texture and strong flavour, a traditional Japanese breakfast food.

Soy Protein

Soy Protein

A concentrated or isolated protein extracted from soybeans, used in powders and meat alternatives.

Textured Vegetable Protein / TVP

Textured Vegetable Protein / TVP

A dried, defatted soy product rehydrated to mimic the texture of ground meat.

Soy Chunks

Soy Chunks

Larger pieces of textured soy protein, rehydrated and cooked as a meat substitute in curries and stews.

Soy Mince

Soy Mince

Textured soy protein in a fine, ground texture, used as a direct swap for ground meat.

Peanut Powder

Peanut Powder

Roasted peanuts with most of the oil pressed out and ground into a fine, lower-fat powder.

Peanut Flour

Peanut Flour

A fine flour milled from roasted, defatted peanuts, used to add flavour to baking and sauces.

Green Peas

Green Peas

Small, sweet, round peas usually shelled from their pods before cooking.

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