They are good for you and you should be eating them

Legumes are an important ingredient in the Mediterranean diet. They are healthy, nourishing and an essential part of a balanced diet.

What are the benefits?

1. Legumes are a source of vegetable protein, which is also contained in cereals and vegetables. They are used in recipes with high biological value: lentils with rice, chickpeas with spinach, beans with chard…
   They contain such high levels of protein, making them an essential component of a vegan diet, which contains no animal proteins.
2. They contain a large quantity of carbohydrates which the body needs for energy.
3. They are low-glycaemic index foods, meaning that they release energy little by little, in other words the body’s glucose levels are raised slowly and continuously. This is important in the diets of people with diabetes and it is also an option for athletes who need to make their energy last for longer.
4. It contains high levels of fibre, which improves intestinal transit, helps to eliminate cholesterol and to keep blood sugar levels stable.
5. Because they are digested slowly and are filling, they can be a helpful part of a weight loss plan.
6. They are a source of iron, which carries oxygen around the body in blood, particularly lentils and chickpeas.
7. They also contain high levels of other minerals such as magnesium, which protects the brain and improves blood pressure and blood flow, calcium, which strengthens the bones, phosphorus, which protects nerve fibres and potassium, which balances hydration and protections the muscles.
8. They provide B vitamins, such as niacin, pyridoxine or riboflavin, essential for the correct functioning of the nervous system and food metabolism. They also contain pre-vitamin B9, which is a precursor to folic acid, which has an influence on mood, as well as being essential to foetal development. Some legumes, such as young green beans, contain vitamin C and vitamin A, antioxidants that protect the skin and tissues.
9. They are inexpensive and readily available, so we can eat them all the time.
10. They can be used in both cold and hot dishes, stews, purees and salads and can be mixed with meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and cereals.

It is recommended you eat legumes at least twice a week, choosing different types and recipes for preparing them. Get enthusiastic about chickpeas, lentils, beans, peas, broad beans, soya beans, white lupin seeds, locust beans and almortas. There are so many to choose from!

This post is also available in: Spanish