Common legumes (not including peanuts)

Fava or Broad Beans – Vicia faba – are the largest legume. They originated in Asia and are believed the earliest domesticated plant. Evidence of cultivation found in Mediterranean sites date back to 3000 BCE. Today, China is the world’s largest producer.

People who have an inherited G6PD deficiency should not consume fava beans as they can develop a hemolytic reaction called “favism.”  Fava beans contain two unusual amino-acid relatives, vicine and convicine, which are oxidants that become toxic to people with an inadequate supply of glutathione, as are people with G6PD deficiency. Favism is found most commonly in the southern Mediterranean and Middle East. In areas where malaria has been historically endemic, G6PD deficiency appears to have been a result of natural selection, as it suppresses the growth of the malaria parasite in red blood cells.

Chickpea/Garbanzo is native of southwest Asia. Two main varieties are available: desi and kabuli. Desi are small, thick, tough seed coat, and dark. These are mainly grown in Asia, Iran, Ethiopia, and Mexico. The kabuli type is most common in the Middle East and Mediterranean. It is larger, cream-colored, with a light seed coat. Chickpeas have 5% oil by weight compared to 1-2% of other legumes.

Hummus is a chickpea paste usually flavored with garlic, paprika, and lemon. Chickpeas are the most important legume in India.

Common bean is native of southwestern Mexico, and most widely consumed in Latin America. The common bean has developed hundreds of varieties. Large varieties originally from the Andes, include kidney, cranberry, large red, and white. Smaller-seeded Central American types include pinto, black, small red, and white.

Popping bean or nuña is cultivated in the high Andes. It can be popped in 3-4 min of high dry heat (i.e. microwave). It does not expand as much as popcorn as it remains fairly dense, with powdery texture and nutty flavor.

Lima bean originated from Peru (named for its capital of Lima). It was introduced to Africa via the slave trade, where today they remain the main legume in the African tropics. Some wild types contain potentially toxic quantities of cyanide, so they must be cooked thoroughly to be safe. Commercial varieties are cyanide-free.

Tepary beans are native of the American southwest, and are unusually tolerant of heat and water stress. They are rich in protein, iron, calcium, and fiber. Tepary have a distinctive sweet flavor.

Lentil is probably the oldest cultivated legume. Native of Southwest Asia, there are two groups: large flat (>5mm across) and small rounded (<5mm). Large are most commonly grown. Varieties include brown, red, or green seed coats. Their flat shape and thin seed coats allows water to penetrate easily, thus they cook quickly, in  one hour or less.

Peas are a cool climate legume. Historically, peas have been an important protein source in Europe, especially around the Middle Ages, from when the following children’s rhyme came: “Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot, Nine days old.”

There are two main varieties: smooth and wrinkly. Smooth makes for dried and split peas. Wrinkly has higher sugar content, and are usually eaten immature as a green vegetable.

Black-eyed pea/cowpea is not really a pea, but an African relative of the mung bean, brought to the southern US with the slave trade. It has a characteristic eye-like anthocyanin pigmentation around the hilum.

The pigeon pea is distant relative of the common bean. It is native to India. It has tough, reddish brown seed coat.

The “Grams” include several small seeded, quick-cooking beans. The green gram or mung beans are native to India, and widely grown in China. Grams also include the rice bean and the African bambara groundnut.

The azuki bean is an East Asian species of deep maroon color. It is mainly cultivated in Korea, China, and Japan. Azuki are a favorite sprouting seed, and are candied in Japan.

Lupins are mostly found in Italy. They are unusual because they contain no starch and 30-40% protein, 5-10% oil, and up to 50% soluble, but indigestible carbohydrates. They require special processing as many have toxic alkaloids. L. mutabilis is grown in the Andes and has a protein content approaching 50% of the dry seed weight.

Soybeans are the most versatile legume. Domesticated in China more than 3,000 years ago, the soybean spread widely as a staple food throughout Asia encouraged by the vegetarian doctrine of Buddhism. It only became known to the West until after the 19^th century. Today the US supplies half of the world production. However, most US soybeans feed livestock, not people, and much is processed for manufacturing purposes.