You might be wondering what the hell a legume is. Let us explain.
This guide explains the definition of a legume, legumes and the paleo diet, provides a list of common type of legumes and covers the benefits.
A legume is a simple, dry fruit contained within a shed or a pod. The most well-known legumes are peas, beans, peanuts, and alfalfa (we have a full list below).
No, not THAT bean
Table of Contents
Why Aren’t Legumes Paleo?
Phytates
Phytates bind up minerals in food, thereby preventing your body from utilizing them. This means these foods are not digested. They can also cause inflammation, bloating, indigestion, and gas. Yuck.
Lectins
Lectins are carb-binding proteins that are relatively “sticky.” They’re difficult for our bodies to break down and therefore cause indigestion. Their desire to bind also leads them to bind with your intestinal lining.
Lectins can also cause leaky gut syndrome, which is when the intestinal lining is broken down, allowing toxins and anti-nutrients to leak into the bloodstream.
Lectins are commonly associated with IBS, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and many other issues.
Want to learn more about autoimmune issues and diet? Check out our AIP guide.
Do you find yourself asking, “is it paleo?” often? Check out our app: Paleo.io – the ultimate “Is It Paleo?” app
Are Legumes Low Carb or Keto Friendly?
Legumes tend to have a high carbohydrate content for what they do provide. They are not considered low carb or great for a keto diet.
For example, in 0.5 cup of chickpeas, there are 61 grams of carbs. Including this in your diet wouldn’t help you stay in ketosis.
If your goal is weight loss or sticking to a strict low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet, there are definitely much better (and paleo) choices out there for you.
Interested in learning more about the keto diet? Check out our guide – The Keto Diet.
What’s Good about Legumes?
Legumes are most famous for their protein content. They tend to be great sources of protein for non-meat eaters. They’re also great sources of minerals and fiber. Because of their fiber content, they don’t spike insulin levels and inhibit fat loss as grains and other simple carbohydrates do.
That said, they’re simply “okay” choices. They’re not the best foods and, while there’s variance in the nutrition provided by different legumes, you can certainly get all the nutrients they contain from other, superior choices. We recommend you do that.
List of Legumes
- Alfalfa
- Asparagus bean
- Asparagus pea
- Baby lima bean
- Black bean
- Black-eyed pea
- Black turtle bean
- Boston bean
- Boston navy bean
- Broad bean
- Cannellini bean
- Chickpeas
- Chili bean
- Cranberry bean
- Dwarf bean
- Egyptian bean
- Egyptian white broad bean
- English bean
- Fava bean
- Fava coceira
- Field pea
- French green bean
- Frijol bola roja
- Frijole negro
- Great northern bean
- Green and yellow peas
- Kidney bean
- Lentils
- Lespedeza
- Licorice
- Lima bean
- Madagascar bean
- Mexican black bean
- Mexican red bean
- Molasses face bean
- Mung bean
- Mung pea
- Mungo bean
- Navy bean
- Pea bean
- Peanut
- Peruvian bean
- Pinto bean
- Red bean
- Red clover
- Red eye bean
- Red kidney bean
- Rice bean
- Runner bean
- Scarlet runner bean
- Small red bean
- Snow pea
- Southern pea
- Sugar snap pea
- Soybean
- Wax bean
- White vlover
- White kidney bean
- White pea bean
Paleo FM – Legumes
If you want in-depth information, about legumes check out our podcast – PaleoFM episode #008
In today’s episode, we talk about the infamous legumes, what exactly they are & whether or not they fit within the paleo & primal frameworks. Enjoy.
[powerpress]
Are Legumes Paleo? [YouTube]
Are Legumes Paleo? [SoundCloud]
Listen to this episode on:
More Resources
The Verdict
Are Legumes Paleo?
No.
Will they kill you? Probably not. They’re certainly better for you than grains but if you want to adhere to a strict paleo regimen, you’ll want to eliminate legumes from your diet.
Meal Plans
Do you need help sticking to a certain diet? We’ve got meal plans to meet all your dietary needs. Paleo? Keto? Autoimmune Protocol? We’ve got you covered.
Sources & References
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/legumes/NU00260
- http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/88/10/4857.abstract
- http://www.krispin.com/lectin.html
- http://www.marksdailyapple.com/lectins/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legume
photo credit: Stuck in Customs | Chiot’s Run | ruurmo
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