Legumes

Legumes are a pantry staple. But more than that, they are powerful plants that can have a big impact on your health. From fueling your body with protein and fibre to enriching the soil, legumes are crucial for human nutrition as well as agriculture. Legumes are members of the Fabaceae family and include some of your favourites like lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas, and soybeans.

However, it is more than its nutritional value that sets it apart. It is their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. As nature’s own fertiliser, they play a crucial role in sustainable farming. 

1.0Legumes Meaning

So, what are legumes? Legumes belong to the Fabaceae family. The term “legume” refers to the entire plant or to its seed or fruit. Once these seeds have been harvested and dried for consumption, they are referred to as pulses.

There are several reasons why legumes are cultivated across the world:

• Food source (lentils, chickpeas)
• Fodder or hay for livestock (alfalfa, clover)
• Green manure to improve soil fertility

Botanically, what you get from legumes is a simple dry fruit split open along two seams after maturity. It develops from a single carpel and is a unique feature of the legume family.

Legumes are also capable of enhancing soil quality. When they are added to the soil, the legume species create a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria present in root nodules. This converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants, which naturally enriches the soil. This is also why they are considered to be essential in crop rotation systems.

2.0Types of Legumes and Their Characteristics

Several types of legumes are cultivated worldwide for their nutritional and agricultural value. Common examples include peanuts, chickpeas, beans, peas, lentils, and lupins.

Peanuts

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), or groundnuts, grow underground and belong to the legume family, despite their similarity to tree nuts in nutrition. Rich in protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, peanuts are cholesterol-free and widely used in healthy diets.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas come in two main types:

• Desi chickpeas: Smaller, wrinkled, and available in various colours like brown, black, or green.
• Kabuli chickpeas: Larger, cream-coloured, and known for their nutty flavour.
  Australia is a major exporter, and green chickpeas are also consumed as vegetables.

Beans

Beans are staple ingredients across global cuisines. In Australia, the most cultivated types include faba, mung, adzuki, and navy beans.
Other popular varieties:

• Black beans: Oval and black.
• Borlotti beans: Cream with red markings, also known as cranberry beans.

Peas

Peas were among the first crops domesticated by humans. Australia grows five main types:

• Blackeyed peas (cream with a black spot)
• Blue peas (used in canning)
• Dun peas (dimpled, greenish-brown)
• Maple peas (brown coat, yellow inside)
• White peas (white outside, yellow inside)

Lentils

Lentils don’t require soaking and can be cooked quickly.

• Red and yellow lentils: Small, ideal for soups and curries.
• Green lentils: Larger and firmer, used for slow-cooking dishes.

Lupins

Two common types are Australian Sweet Lupin (ASL) and Albus Lupin. ASL is round and yellow; Albus is white and oval. Lupins are eaten as vegetables or used as flour in baking.

3.0Benefits of Legumes

4.0Applications of Legumes

Legumes play a vital role in agriculture, industry, and human nutrition due to their diverse properties and high nutrient content.

• Daily Diets: Pulses such as black beans, chickpeas, and lentils are staple components in many global cuisines. They provide plant-based protein, fibre, and essential nutrients, making them ideal for balanced meals.
• Oil Production: Edible oils are extracted from leguminous seeds like soybeans, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds. These oils are used in cooking, baking, and food manufacturing due to their health benefits and high unsaturated fat content.
• Dairy Alternatives: Legumes such as soybeans are essential in the production of non-dairy milk, yoghurt, and cheese. This makes them a key substitute for vegans and those with lactose intolerance.
• Animal Feed: Forage legumes like alfalfa and clover are rich in protein and form a major component of livestock feed, supporting healthy animal growth.
• Industrial Use: Certain leguminous plants, including Acacia and Indigofera, are valuable in gum and dye extraction. Gum arabic from Acacia is widely used in pharmaceuticals and food products, while Indigofera yields natural blue dye used in textiles.
• Soil Improvement: In sustainable farming, legumes are planted in crop rotations to naturally enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers.