Composition, Nutritional Value, and Health Benefits of Pulses

The United Nations has declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses. Pulses are narrowly defined as leguminous crops that are harvested as dry seeds. Although some pulse crops are harvested green (e.g., green peas), these are classified as vegetables because the pods are often consumed along with the mature and sometimes immature seeds. Other dried legumes such as soybean and peanut meet the definition of being a leguminous crop that is harvested as dry seeds; however, these crops are grown primarily for oil content and, thus, are not categorized as pulses. There are hundreds of pulse varieties grown worldwide; these include, for example, dry edible beans, chickpeas, cowpeas, and lentils. This review will cover the proximate (e.g., protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals), and phytonutrient (e.g., polyphenolics and carotenoid) composition of dry edible beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas. Soybean and peanuts will not be covered in this review. The effects of processing on composition will also be covered. The health benefits related to folates, fiber, and polyphenolics will be highlighted. The health benefits discussed will include cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and weight control. The current review will not cover antinutrient compounds; this topic will be covered in a separate review article published in the same issue.