Legumes -- so tiny, but filled with proteins and nutrients!

Americans tend to get most of their protein from eating meat and less from legumes. Legumes refer to the seeds inside the pods of certain plants that belong to the legume family.

Legumes are a great source of protein and are much cheaper and easier to prepare than meat sometimes - which is why I would highly recommend including them in your diet.

Here's some data to show that Americans are below the recommended goals of legume intake across all ages and genders. Where are you in these graphs?

There are many types of legumes such as:

• lentils
• kidney beans
• black beans
• pinto beans
• white beans
• canelli beans
• chickpeas
• lima beans
• soy beans

You might think of string beans as a legume, but it's actually a vegetable because of its structure and composition. Legumes are high in protein, which is important for those who don't eat meat.

Legumes are also a great source of vitamins (folate, thiamine and niacin) and minerals (iron, potassium and manganese).

I encourage my patients who have constipation to eat more legumes since they are high in fiber, and along with water, can allow one to have more normal bowel movements.

The recommended daily amount of legumes varies by age, but after age 14 - the goal should be at least 1.5 cups daily.

Here are some tips to increase consumption of legumes in your diet:

-Add them to a salad
All types of legumes work well in a salad and allow you to get your fix of vegetables & protein. You can even make a salad with beans or lentils alone

-Make interesting spreads with legumes using any spice or flavors you enjoy
These spreads can be eaten alone, with crackers or low fat vegetables. Hummus (a Middle Eastern spread made from chickpeas) is the best example of this type of spread. Hummus is so easy to make & so much healthier then buying it in the store (think no preservatives). I even make an edamame hummus and I'll share that recipe soon!

-Make a legume puree and serve it up with meat

I often see this done as the sauce accompanying chicken and/or fish, usually made with white beans

-Roast or bake legumes with different spices
I love doing this with chickpeas and chana dal. It makes for an excellent healthy snack & a great substitution for croutons on a salad.

-Make legumes the star of your entree
Many recipes center around legumes. Have fun with spices and flavors. Look at Indian recipes for entree ideas - like chana masala. Check out vegetarian Mexican recipes where beans are substituted for meat.

-Make soups and stews with a variety of legumes
Legumes can be part of the medley of vegetables added to a soup/stew (i.e. minestrone soup) OR it can be pureed as the base for the stew (i.e. black bean soup or lentil soup)

-Add legumes to your pasta dish

-Craving a good dessert? Make something sweet and unique with legumes
There are hundreds of vegan and gluten free recipes out there with the base of cookies, brownies, etc. made from legumes. Many Asian desserts are made with a legume base - especially red bean. This can satisfy your sweet tooth and is higher in protein & nutrition than other desserts. Red bean ice pops are my personal fave!

-Make bean smoothies
Beans can be added to any smoothie for some texture, and as a substitute for protein powder.

-Make burgers with bean patties, instead of meat sometimes..
I know my burger lovers are shaking their heads at this one....but bean burgers (like black bean burgers) can be quite delicious with less fat, cholesterol, and calories than burgers made with red meat. These should be considered some times at a BBQ, especially for those with heart disease and high cholesterol. 

-Sprout legumes - since a legume is a seed, it can actually sprout roots

My mother-in-law introduced me to sprouting lentils, and its a fun way to enjoy legumes. I eat the sprouts alone in a salad with seasoning and have even made entrees with sprouts mixed with other vegetables. 

Hope these tips help you love legumes as much as I do! For some ideas on how to prepare legumes follow me on Instagram at live.laugh.love.be_healthy

Please feel free to ask any questions and email me at DoctorDeenaMD@gmail.com or ask/follow me on Twitter @Doctor_Deena 

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