As we discussed in "8 Fantastic Fibrous Foods," legumes are great sources of fiber, but did you know that they're also great sources of iron (about the same as red meat) and B vitamins, and are linked to reduced LDL ("bad") cholesterol?
What is the most widely consumed legume in the world? The chickpea, also known as the garbanzo in Spanish-speaking countries and ceci in Italy. While most of us are familiar with the pale, light-yellow chickpeas, there are also black, brown, and red varieties, especially in India. The chickpea is incredibly versatile, used to make flour and hummus; and during World War I, Germans even made a coffee substitute from chickpeas, when the real thing became unavailable. - What is the oldest cultivated legume? The lentil is believed to have come from southwestern Asia, around modern-day Syria. There is evidence of cultivation from as early as 6,000 B.C. Lentils come in a rainbow of colors, including green, orange, white, red, yellow, and brown. They are one of the few dried legumes that require no soaking to prepare. The word "lens" comes from the word "lentil" (because the convex shape resembles the seed).
What legume's protein contains all eight essential amino acids? The soybean. Soybeans also contain genistein, a chemical compound believed to inhibit tumor growth. Soybean oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. The U.S. grows about 40 percent of the world's soybeans. Most soybeans are sold for commercial purposes, such as for animal feed and inedible industrial products. Only about 2 percent is reserved for sale as vegetables.- What two U.S. presidents were also peanut farmers? Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter. Peanuts were brought to Europe, Asia, and Africa by the Portuguese from the New World. In the U.S., they didn't really take off until after the Civil War, but now they are a 4-billion-dollar-a-year industry. Americans consume 700 million pounds per year, often in the form of peanut butter. It takes over 1,000 peanuts to make one 24-ounce jar of peanut butter. Peanuts are extremely healthy (unless you're allergic; if you are allergic, then they can kill you), with high levels of vitamin E and niacin, and contain more cholesterol-lowering resveratrol than grapes.
Which legume-themed musical act has won three Grammys? The Black Eyed Peas for "Let's Get It Started" (2005), "Don't Phunk with My Heart" (2006), and "My Humps" (2007). Their namesake vegetable is a type of cowpea. Black-eyed peas are great sources of calcium. In the southern U.S., they are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day for good luck, a tradition handed down from ancient Babylon. A popular marinated black-eyed pea salad is called "Texas caviar."
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