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
So peanuts are the only nut that is a legume? That seems weird.
Well they’re technically “legumes” – not “nuts.” The “nut” categorization is a misnomer since it’s botanically categorized as a “legume.”
Are garbanzo beans good? Is it Paleo?
Beans are a legume – so not paleo :-/
Garbanzo beans are also known as Chickpeas, which is on the list.
Definitely sad about the snow and sugar snap peas 🙁
So no hummus on the Paleo diet? 🙁
Nope – hummus is made with chick peas.
Try cashew cheese instead of hummus. Its yummy and last time I checked it is paleo!! 🙂
I am not quite a full-fledged Paleo enthusiast yet, but I am making the move. I too have a lot of questions about some of the foods that are on the “do not eat” list. Being raised on legumes and seeing them everywhere, I thought you might be interested in this site for more information on phytates.
I do plan on cutting back on legumes as there are so many other foods that are better as Joel says. I’m seeing more and more of my customers switching to the Paleo diet, so it has peaked my interest. So far, I like what I see. I am a mixed breed of Blackfoot Indian, German, Japanese and Hawaiian, so I don’t expect any problems going full Paleo. The main trigger that is making me switch was my last doctor visit where I was told I was a walking heart attack and he couldn’t believe I was still walking around and functioning. I work out and stay in shape, but apparently it was all the starches and sugars I was eating. The doctor didn’t tell me this, I figured this out on my own using the internet. I was eating steak everyday, but it was the potatoes, rice and snacks that did it to me. Almost everyone I’ve talked to that are on the Paleo diet said they had the same thing and the Paleo diet corrected it. One customer who has been on the Paleo for 3 years said his triglycerides were over 700, but is not under 60. I am about the take another test, so we’ll see. Thanks for such an informative and great website, Joel. I’ll be back!
Who the Hell Made up the Word “Legume” ??
I’m trying a couple months of strict paleo but suspect I’ll want to settle on a “mostly” Paleo diet at the end. I’m fine with being gluten free but the legume-free is a harder elimination for me. Though what I never see answered in the Paleo writings I’ve been researching is if sprouting the legume makes it Paleo friendly? Hummus and quinoa especially would be hard for me to give up long term so I’d be happy to know that I could include them if I sprout them or buy them sprouted. Thanks in advance for the answer 🙂
What about the controversy around cashews? I have a nut mix with cashews and have heard that they are technically a legume, but when I did the research, doesn’t quite seem to match up, given how they grow. Any thoughts on this? Would love another opinion…
I had heard some legumes have less phytates/lectins than others. Is this a bunch of malarky? If it was true, I would love to know which have less so if I do enjoy a random legume, I might choose the one that would be the least offensive phytate/lectin-wise. Thanks in advance!!
Tara
What about sprouts? I have a sprout maker and love alfalfa sprouts, if I eat it before it becomes a lugume is it still a lugume?
peanuts are definitely NOT legumes! Legumes are characterized by very high CHO, mod protein and no fat whereas peanuts are very high fat & protein and low CHO; very, very different profile from legumes (beans)……Soy beans & peanuts are very close in their profiles (which is why the name “Soy Bean” is a misnomer)……
Hi Ron,
Legumes are not defined by their nutrient profile but rather by their floral categorization & fruit pod.
Alfalfa? We can’t eat Alfalfa sprouts? Beansprouts? All kind of sprouts?
Thank you for this clarification! I had always just thought of nuts as more protein and this clearly explains they are something that may be causing me more harm than good.
I am new to the paleo “lifestyle”. One of my favorite rockstars eats paleo & he looks great ! I am determined to give a try & see if it works for me as it does him.