Legumes are one of the largest families of dicotyledons. They are distributed throughout the land accessible to flower plants of the globe and are represented by a wide variety of forms, from huge trees to creepers and tiny species growing in the desert. Representatives of legumes can live both at an altitude of 5 thousand meters, and in the Far North or in hot, waterless sands.
general characteristics
Legumes, the list of which includes about 18 thousand species, are widely used in food by animals and people.
Their root system consists of small tubers, which are formed from tissue that appears when nitrogen-fixing bacteria enter the root. They are able to fix nitrogen, thanks to which not only the plant itself receives nutrition, but also the soil.
The fruits of legumes, like themselves, are very diverse. They can reach about one and a half meters in length. These plants are an important layer of flora, representing about 10% of flowering species. The most popular and common legumes are soy, vetch, beans, lentils, sainfoin, chickpeas, fodder peas, peas, lupins, fodder beans and common peanuts.
Soybean
This product should be included in the list of legumes in the first place, since it is one of the most common and is grown in most regions of the world. Soybeans are a popular food product that is valued for its high protein content of vegetable origin and fat. Thanks to this, soy is also a valuable component of animal feed.
Vika
This is one of the main legumes. Vika is used both in human diets and in animal feed. It is used as feed in the form of hay, silage, grass meal or crushed grains.
Beans
Legume plants, especially beans, contain many amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, protein and carotene. This is already a significant reason for the regular consumption of this plant. Beans are used as a separate product and for the manufacture of canned vegetables. Studies of the properties of legumes have shown that this type of bean is a wonderful natural medicine that stimulates the elimination of many diseases.
Lentils
This subspecies combines all the benefits of the legume family, primarily due to the large amount of protein, minerals and vital amino acids. In addition, lentils are a champion in their class in the amount of folic acid. It is used for processing into cereals and as animal feed.
Sainfoin
This is a legume family herb. It is used as animal feed both in the form of seeds and green mass, which is not inferior in nutrition to alfalfa. Sainfoin is highly valuable as a honey plant.
Chickpeas
Chickpea is one of the most common legume species worldwide. The list of food products that are based on it is quite extensive. Since ancient times, this species is common in countries of Western and Central Asia, Africa, North America and the Mediterranean.
In particular, this product is used for food and feed purposes.
Chickpea beans are used in food in a fried or boiled form, and also used for the preparation of canned goods, soups, side dishes, pies, desserts and many national dishes. Here you can make an extensive list. Legumes, due to their high protein and fiber content, but low fat levels, are often used in vegetarian and diet diets.
Forage peas
Already from the name of the culture it is clear how this subspecies is used. It is used as green food or for preparing silage. Pea beans are a very valuable animal feed.
Peas
This is a cereal bean crop, known throughout Europe since time immemorial. Among vegetable crops, pea beans are the richest natural source of protein, similar to meat, due to their high content of amino acids, sugar, vitamins, starch and fiber. Green and yellow peas are used for direct consumption, conservation and preparation of cereals.
Lupine
This plant takes pride of place among fodder crops and is also on the list of legumes. Lupine is called northern soybean, given the high protein content, which is about 30-48%, and fat with a share of up to 14%. Lupine beans have long been used in food and for feeding animals. The use of this product as a green fertilizer helps not to degrade the environment and grow environmentally friendly products. Lupine is also used for pharmacology and forestry.
Fodder beans
This is one of the most ancient cultures of world agriculture. In Europe, it is grown mainly as a forage crop. For feed use grain, green mass, silage and straw. Bean protein is perfectly absorbed, so they are a highly nutritious food and a valuable component in the production of animal feed.
Peanuts
When compiling a list of legumes that are particularly popular, peanuts are worth mentioning.
Very useful are the seeds of this plant, which contain fatty oil used in a wide variety of industries. It is thanks to him that peanuts are in second place among legumes in nutrition. Its fruits contain about 42% oil, 22% protein, 13% carbohydrates. Most often they are consumed fried, and the vegetative mass goes to feed the animals.
Output
These vegetables are very valuable and nutritious. Many people believe that eating legumes can lead to rapid weight gain, but this is not entirely true. Despite the fact that they are high in calories, all the elements contained in these products are of vegetable origin, so they do not do any harm if you do not combine them with the consumption of other high-calorie foods. The above is by no means the entire list of legumes suitable for eating, in fact, there are much more. And this means that even the most sophisticated gourmet will find the kind that he will like.