Legumes
Historical aspects
Legumes have different origins, depending on the species: in Mesopotamia in pre-Columbian America and East Asia, adapting perfectly to Mediterranean agriculture. Legumes and cereals were the first plants cultivated by man. About ten thousand years in the Middle East region, there was an association between certain seeds such as wheat, barley, lentils, and peas, and human settlements, which was an indication of a preferential collection: a first step towards the birth of the agriculture. Fossil remains of seeds of wheat, barley, lentils and peas for eight thousand years ago indicate that they were already domesticated by man, taming that reaches the beans in the fourth millennium BC. Legumes are also early in agriculture in the New World (4000 BC), predating by almost a thousand years to corn.
The ancient Egyptians had a high regard for lentils, field crops and carefully. They were also highly appreciated by the Romans, he says that in the special boat which transported an obelisk from Egypt to Rome during the reign of Caligula, were transported 840 tonnes of lentils. However, the beans were considered food by the Egyptians as negligible. Priests do not eat them, but the common people themselves. Peas were common food in Rome, although not always appreciated. It was in the seventeenth century when its use became popular in green and becomes, in the court of Louis XIV, “a fashion and a madness” in the words of Madame de Maintenon.
Beans were cultivated throughout America since ancient times, was brought from America to Europe in the sixteenth century, being at first a luxury, accessible only to the tables of the rich.
Since the cultivation of lentils and chickpeas in the Egyptian civilization and the later incorporation of white and red beans that came from the New World, legumes were introduced at meals and stews of the Mediterranean Diet.
Legumes characteristic of the Mediterranean are lentils, chickpeas and beans.
Nutritional aspects
The nutritional compositions of different varieties of legumes are very recommendable due to the adequate and balanced levels of nutrients.
This composition, like any other food, may vary or be modified by many factors, namely variety of species, climatic conditions, environmental conditions, cultivation techniques and especially the state and soil composition.
That is why chemical composition data can present a great variability.
The presence of nutrients as varied as high biological value protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fibre and low in fat, gives legumes a great importance, and a high nutritional value to be used in human nutrition.
Recommended consumption is 2 to 4 servings per week.
Table of Food Consumption
| Olive Oil | 3-6 servings/day |
| Cereals | 4-6 servings/day |
| Dairy products | 2-4 servings/day |
| Fruits | ≥ 3 servings/day |
| Vegetables | ≥ 2 servings/day |
| Fresh meat | 3-4 servings/week |
| Nuts | 3-7 servings/week |
| Eggs | 3-4 servings/week |
| Legumes | 2-4 servings/week |
| Fish | 3-4 servings/week |
| Wine, cava and others | optional and moderate intake in adults |
| Cured meat and sausages | optional and moderate intake |
| Honey | optional and moderate intake |
