Pulses

Pulses are legumes with seeds that can be dried and stored to be used as food. Like all legumes, pulses come from plants in the Fabaceae (Leguminosae) family. Chickpeas, lentils, and all types of beans are some of the most recognizable examples of pulses.

Going by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) classification, the group does not include legumes, with their primary purpose being something other than dried food crops. So, oilseeds from the Fabaceae family, like soybeans and peanuts, are not considered pulses. The same goes for leguminous fruits and seeds eaten as fresh vegetables (green beans) and plants grown as forage (clover and alfalfa).

List of Different Types of Pulses

Pulses are famous for being some of the best protein sources, dietary fibers, essential vitamins, and minerals. A single portion of beans counts for one of your ‘5 a Day’ portions of vegetables and fruits in a day.

The average serving size is ¼ cup of raw pulses, which double and becomes ½ a cup when cooked. The exact weight varies depending on the type but usually ranges between 60-110 grams. So, adding a handful of soaked or boiled pulses to dishes like casseroles, salads, and stews adds to the dish’s nutritional value on top of improving its flavor and texture. Find out about the various types and how you could prepare 

Name	Protein/ 100g (cooked)	Carbohydrate/ 100g (cooked)	Fiber/ 100g (cooked)	Common Ways to Prepare
Dry Beans	Varies	Varies	Varies	Soaked and eaten both raw  and cooked
— Mung Beans	7.02g	19.15g	7.6g	Sprouted for salads, cooked in soups, curries, or stir-fried
— Lima Beans	7.8g	19.68g	6.2g	Boiled or steamed, added to casseroles or succotash
— Pinto Beans	9g	20g	9g	Boiled or refried, used in burritos, soups, and stews
— Kidney Beans	8.67g	22.8g	6.4g	Boiled or canned, used in chili, salads, or rice dishes
— Navy Beans	8g	19.74g	10.5g	Baked or boiled, used in soups, stews, and casseroles
— Adzuki Beans	7.52g	17.66g	6.7g	Boiled, sweetened, and used in desserts or red bean paste
— Scarlet Runner Beans	8.3g	19.74g	9.7g	Boiled, used in salads, or added to stews
— Black Gram	7.31g	30.26g	12.5g	Used in Indian cuisine, particularly in dosas and idlis
Dry Broad Beans (Fava)	7g	19g	7g	Boiled or pureed, used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine
Dry Peas	5.42g	14.45g	5.5g	Boiled, used in soups, stews, or mixed with rice
Chickpea (Garbanzo Beans)	8.86g	27.42g	7.6g	Boiled or canned, used in salads, hummus, or curries
Black-Eyed Pea	6.2g	20.39g	6.7g	Boiled, used in Southern dishes like Hoppin’ John
Pigeon Peas	7.91g	23.25g	7g	Boiled, used in Indian, Caribbean, and African cuisines
Lentils	9.02g	20.13g	7.9g	Boiled, used in various dishes globally
Lupin Beans	36.17g	12.75g	37.8g	Soaked and boiled, used in salads or ground into flour
Horse Gram	22.9g	57.48g	24.5g	Boiled, used in soups, stews, or sprouted in salads
Bambara Groundnut	6.57g	63.88g	8.4g	Boiled, used in stews, porridge, or ground into flour

The dried seeds from the following plants also fall in the group of pulses. However, they are not widely available, and though their seeds are suitable for human consumption, they need to be soaked and boiled in water multiple times to eliminate certain toxic elements they contain. These include:

• Winged (Dried seeds)
• Velvet bean (Dried seeds)
• Vetch
• Lablab
• Jack beans
• Sword Beans

Some of these, like vetch and lablab, are primarily used as livestock feed.

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