Beans, Lentils, Peas & Soy: Nutrients, What Research Shows & Safety.
Beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas and soy are food first. Explore each one: what is in it (measured by USDA), what research in people has and has not found for health goals, a normal serving, and what to check before you eat it: cooking raw beans safely, digestion and gas, soy and allergy, fava beans and G6PD deficiency.
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Lens culinaris
FolateFiberCopperManganeseIron
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (198 g)
Lentils as a food: USDA values for cooked lentils, what trials found on LDL, blood sugar and weight, plus gas, allergy, lectins, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Cicer arietinum
ManganeseFolateCopperFiberProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (164 g)
Chickpeas as a food: USDA values for cooked and canned chickpeas, what trials found on blood sugar and LDL, plus allergy, sodium, gas, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Pisum sativum
FiberCopperManganeseProteinFolate
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (196 g)
Split peas as a food: USDA values for cooked split peas, what trials found on LDL, blood sugar and fullness, plus pea allergy, gas, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Cajanus cajan
CopperFolateFiberManganeseProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (168 g)
Pigeon peas as a food: USDA values for cooked pigeon peas, what little human evidence exists, traditional use versus trials, plus gas, potassium and pregnancy notes.
Vigna unguiculata
FolateCopperFiberManganeseThiamin (B1)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (171 g)
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas) as a food: USDA values for cooked peas, the few human studies, gas reports versus other beans, plus allergy, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Vicia faba
CopperFolateFiberManganeseProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (170 g)
Fava (broad) beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, favism and G6PD deficiency, what pooled trials found for pulses, levodopa claims checked, and cooking safety.
Lupinus albus, Lupinus angustifolius
ProteinManganeseCopperFolateMagnesium
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (166 g)
Lupini beans (lupins) as a food: USDA nutrient values, lupin allergy and its link to peanut allergy, bitter alkaloids and debittering, and what research shows.
Phaseolus vulgaris
FolateFiberCopperThiamin (B1)Manganese
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (172 g)
Black beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, what pooled trials found on cholesterol, blood sugar and weight, the dark seed-coat pigments, gas, and cooking safety.
Phaseolus vulgaris
FolateCopperFiberManganeseProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (177 g)
Kidney beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, why raw or undercooked red kidney beans can cause poisoning, safe cooking, what pooled trials found on cholesterol, gas.
Phaseolus vulgaris
FolateFiberCopperManganeseProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (171 g)
Pinto beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, a small trial of half a cup a day and LDL cholesterol, pooled trials of pulses, gas in feeding studies, and cooking safety.
Phaseolus vulgaris
FiberFolateCopperManganeseThiamin (B1)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (182 g)
Navy beans as a food: USDA fiber, folate and protein values, what trials of pulses show for LDL and blood sugar, cooking safety, gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Phaseolus vulgaris
CopperManganeseFiberIronFolate
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (179 g)
White beans (cannellini and great northern) as a food: USDA values, what pulse trials show for LDL and blood sugar, safe cooking, gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Phaseolus lunatus
CopperFiberManganeseFolateProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (188 g)
Lima beans as a food: USDA values, why they must be cooked (lectins and a natural cyanide compound), what pulse trials show, plus gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Vigna radiata
FolateFiberCopperProteinThiamin (B1)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (202 g)
Mung beans as a food: USDA folate, fiber and protein values, what pulse trials show, why raw sprouts need care, and gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Vigna angularis
CopperFolateFiberManganeseZinc
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (230 g)
Adzuki beans as a food: USDA folate, zinc, fiber and protein values, what pulse trials show, mouse findings on their saponins, and gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Glycine max
CopperProteinManganeseIronRiboflavin (B2)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked mature soybeans, boiled, without salt (172 g)
What trials and cohort studies found for soy foods and LDL cholesterol, heart disease, menopause symptoms and breast cancer, plus allergy, medicine and thyroid questions.
Glycine max
FolateProteinManganeseThiamin (B1)Vitamin C
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked, shelled green soybeans (180 g)
Edamame (green soybeans) as a food: USDA nutrient values, what trials say about soy protein and cholesterol, soy allergy, thyroid medicine, pregnancy and gas.
Glycine max (curd)
IronCalciumManganeseCopperProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 0.5 cup raw regular tofu set with calcium sulfate (124 g)
Tofu as a food: USDA calcium, protein and iron values, what research says about soy, cholesterol and heart health, plus soy allergy, MAOI and thyroid medicine cautions.
Cicer arietinum (prepared)
ManganeseCopper
Normal serving (USDA): 2 tablespoons commercial hummus (30 g; USDA lists 1 tablespoon = 15 g)
Hummus (chickpeas with tahini) as a food: USDA fat, fiber and sodium values, what research does and does not show, sesame allergy, tahini outbreaks and gas.
Phaseolus vulgaris and others
ManganeseCopperFiberProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 0.5 cup drained, rinsed canned chickpeas (76 g; half of the USDA 1 cup portion of 152 g)
Canned beans (drained, rinsed) as a food: USDA fiber, protein and sodium values, what pulse trials show, why canned kidney beans are safe, BPA in cans and gas.
Cicer arietinum, Lens culinaris, Pisum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris (flours)
ProteinFiber
Normal serving (USDA): 2 ounces (56 g) dry pasta (illustration only, not an official portion)
Pasta made from chickpea, lentil or bean flour: measured protein and fiber, what blood sugar studies found, gluten cross-contact, legume allergy and gas.
Vigna radiata (sprouted), Lens culinaris (sprouted)
Vitamin KCopperFolateVitamin C
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (104 g) raw mung bean sprouts
Mung and lentil sprouts as food: USDA nutrient values, what sprouting changes in the lab, the raw-sprout food poisoning warning, pregnancy, vitamin K and warfarin.
Phaseolus vulgaris
FolateFiberCopperProteinThiamin (B1)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (177 g)
Cranberry (borlotti) beans as a food: USDA values, why raw beans need real cooking, what pooled bean trials found on cholesterol and blood sugar, gas, and allergy.
Phaseolus acutifolius
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA household portion; NHS counts 80 g of beans and pulses as one portion
Tepary beans as a food: composition from peer-reviewed sources (USDA has no item), very high raw lectin activity, why they must be soaked and well cooked, and the limited research.
Vigna mungo
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA household portion; NHS counts 80 g of beans and pulses as one portion
Urad dal (black gram) as a food: composition from peer-reviewed studies since USDA has no item, cooking and fermentation in idli and dosa, raw-bean cautions, and allergy cross-reactivity.
Vigna aconitifolia
FolateMagnesiumManganeseCopperIron
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (177 g)
Moth beans (matki) as a food: USDA values, antinutrients that cooking and sprouting reduce, the food-poisoning risk of raw sprouts, and what research does and does not show.
Macrotyloma uniflorum
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA portion; composition shown per 100 g dry seed
Horse gram (kulthi) as a food: published composition (USDA has none), natural compounds cooking reduces, and why kidney-stone and diabetes claims are unproven.
Vigna subterranea
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA portion; composition shown per 100 g dry seed
Bambara groundnut as a food: published composition (USDA has none), why the hard seeds need long cooking, antinutrients, peanut cross-reaction in lab tests, and limits.
Lablab purpureus
CopperZincIronThiamin (B1)Manganese
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (194 g)
Hyacinth beans (lablab) as a food: USDA values, why mature seeds must be boiled well (natural cyanide compounds and lectins), what is known, and safety notes.
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
CopperManganeseThiamin (B1)IronProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked seeds (172 g)
Winged beans as a food: USDA values for cooked seeds, why raw seeds hold lectins and enzyme blockers that heat removes, how pods and tubers are eaten, and evidence limits.
Canavalia ensiformis
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA portion and no suggested serving; composition shown per 100 g dry matter
Jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis): why the raw seeds are toxic, what the sources say about canavanine, lectin and detoxification, and why we give no home cooking method.
Ceratonia siliqua
Normal serving (USDA): 1 tablespoon (6 g)
Carob powder as a food: USDA values, why it has no caffeine, small trials on cholesterol and blood sugar, and honest notes on allergy, infant thickener gum and sugar.
Prosopis spp., Neltuma spp.
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA household portion; 30 g is a stated weight for comparison only
Mesquite pod flour as a food: no USDA entry, so composition from published studies, what is known and unknown about blood sugar, raw-pod antinutrients, and allergy.
Cicer arietinum
FolateCopperManganeseProteinThiamin (B1)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (92 g)
Chickpea flour (besan) as a food: USDA values, trials on blood sugar and fullness, why raw flour must be cooked, chickpea allergy, gluten-free labels and grass pea mix-ups.
Lens culinaris (flour), Pisum sativum (flour), Vicia faba (flour)
FolateProteinFiberIron
Normal serving (USDA): 30 g (stated weight; USDA lists no flour portion; values are from dry whole lentils)
Lentil, pea and fava flours as food: values from the dry seeds (no USDA flour entry), a small blood sugar study, fava and G6PD deficiency, allergy and raw-flour safety.
Glycine max
CopperManganeseProteinFolateMagnesium
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup defatted soy flour (105 g)
Soy flour and textured soy protein as food: USDA values for three soy ingredients, what soy protein trials found on LDL cholesterol, soy allergy, thyroid medicine, pregnancy.
Pisum sativum
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA household portion; use the serving size on the product label
Pea protein as a food ingredient: composition ranges, trials on muscle gain and digestibility, pea and peanut allergy, labels, and how it differs from whole peas.
Phaseolus vulgaris
CopperIronFiberManganeseProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup canned baked beans with pork and tomato sauce (246 g)
Baked beans as a food: USDA values for home-prepared and canned, sodium and sugar in the sauce, what pooled bean trials found on LDL cholesterol, gas, and allergy.
Phaseolus vulgaris
CopperFiberManganeseSeleniumProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup canned traditional-style refried beans (238 g)
Refried beans as a food: USDA values for traditional and fat-free canned, sodium, fiber and fat, leftover safety for homemade, what pooled bean trials found on LDL cholesterol.
Cicer arietinum
Normal serving (USDA): 1 patty, about 2-1/4 inch diameter (17 g)
Falafel as a food: USDA values for home-prepared fried patties, fat and calories, acrylamide and frying, who must check for fava beans (G6PD deficiency), allergy and sauces.
Medicago sativa, Trifolium pratense
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup alfalfa sprouts (33 g)
Alfalfa and clover sprouts as food: the outbreak history and who should avoid them raw, USDA values, lupus and canavanine cautions, warfarin, and what the lab shows.
Trigonella foenum-graecum
SeedLeaf
BitterEarthySweetWarm / woody
Aroma: Warm and sweet like maple syrup or caramel, with a curry-like note when strong.
In the kitchen: curries, pickling, vegetables, soups and stews, rice and grains
Fenugreek seed tastes bitter, earthy and a little like maple syrup and is used in curries, pickles and spice blends; it is not safe in pregnancy above food amounts, and blood sugar research is limited.
Tamarindus indica
Fruit pulp
Sour / tangySweet
Aroma: Fruity and tangy, like sour dried fruit.
In the kitchen: curries, soups and stews, tea and drinks, pickling, rice and grains
Tamarind is sweet and sour and is used in curries, chutneys, soups and drinks; the one trial we read found no effect on weight or blood sugar, and one small study found it raised aspirin absorption.
Pisum sativum
What green peas (Pisum sativum) contain, what research says about fiber, heart health and digestion, and facts on vitamin K, FODMAPs, pea allergy and frozen peas.
Arachis hypogaea
Peanuts as a food: a legume eaten like a nut, peanut vs tree nut allergy, early introduction for babies, aflatoxin, boiled peanuts, heart evidence and calories.
Fermented soybean paste, Aspergillus oryzae koji, Glycine max
Miso is a salty fermented soybean paste. What reviews and cohort studies found, why sodium and soy allergy matter, and why miso is not automatically a probiotic food.
Fermented soybeans (Bacillus subtilis), Glycine max
Natto is a Japanese fermented soybean food rich in vitamin K2. Read the warfarin caution first, then what studies found on bone markers and mortality, and the soy allergy point.
Fermented soybean cake (Rhizopus), Glycine max
Tempeh is a firm fermented soybean cake from Indonesia. What reviews say, why human evidence is limited, and the allergy and fermentation-safety points to know.
No legume matches all of these filters. Try removing one. Some topics (for example most herbs) are not legumes and live elsewhere on the site.
A link between a legume and a topic means the body needs the legume for that job, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate. See each page’s evidence label.
Lentils, chickpeas, split peas, pigeon peas, black-eyed peas, fava and lupini beans: dried seeds of the legume family, rich in fiber and protein.
Black, kidney, pinto, navy, white, lima, mung and adzuki beans. Raw kidney beans are toxic, so how you cook them matters.
Soybeans, edamame and tofu: soy has its own allergy and isoflavone questions.
Hummus, canned and baked beans, falafel, bean pasta, legume flours, soy and pea protein, and sprouts: legumes in ready-to-eat forms. Raw sprouts carry a food-poisoning risk.
Moth beans, horse gram, urad dal, hyacinth and winged beans, bambara groundnut and jack beans: staple foods in parts of Asia and Africa. Some must be cooked carefully to be safe.
Carob and mesquite are legume-family trees whose pods are eaten. Tamarind is listed from Spices. They are not beans, and each has its own uses and cautions.
Legumes work alongside other nutrients. Here is what our sources link to them.
Vitamin A: The body can convert beta-carotene to vitamin A.
Vitamin A: Vitamin E and beta-carotene were tested together in the Finnish smoker trial.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D increases calcium absorption; both matter for bones, and treatment of rickets and osteomalacia includes both.
Vitamin D: NHS says vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate.
Vitamin E: MedlinePlus says vitamin E helps the body use vitamin K; both affect blood clotting, which matters for people on blood thinners.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E and selenium were tested together and apart in the SELECT prostate cancer trial.
Vitamin E: Vitamin C and vitamin E were pooled with other antioxidants in the Cochrane mortality review.
Vitamin K: Vitamin D with K2 products exist; the site page does not claim an added benefit.
Vitamin B1 (thiamin): The NHS page covers B vitamins together; MedlinePlus says doctors may recommend other vitamins alongside thiamin for beriberi.
Vitamin B2: MedlinePlus says riboflavin works with the other B vitamins.
Vitamin B3 (niacin): Pellagra comes from too little niacin or tryptophan in the diet, so both matter for avoiding deficiency.
Vitamin B5: MedlinePlus covers pantothenic acid and biotin together; both are needed for growth and metabolism and for making fatty acids.
Whole GrainsOmega fatty acidsAntioxidantsSupplement formulasCompare supplementsNatural Remedy Safety
Lentils as a food: USDA values for cooked lentils, what trials found on LDL, blood sugar and weight, plus gas, allergy, lectins, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Chickpeas as a food: USDA values for cooked and canned chickpeas, what trials found on blood sugar and LDL, plus allergy, sodium, gas, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Split peas as a food: USDA values for cooked split peas, what trials found on LDL, blood sugar and fullness, plus pea allergy, gas, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Pigeon peas as a food: USDA values for cooked pigeon peas, what little human evidence exists, traditional use versus trials, plus gas, potassium and pregnancy notes.
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas) as a food: USDA values for cooked peas, the few human studies, gas reports versus other beans, plus allergy, kidney and pregnancy notes.
Fava (broad) beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, favism and G6PD deficiency, what pooled trials found for pulses, levodopa claims checked, and cooking safety.
Lupini beans (lupins) as a food: USDA nutrient values, lupin allergy and its link to peanut allergy, bitter alkaloids and debittering, and what research shows.
Black beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, what pooled trials found on cholesterol, blood sugar and weight, the dark seed-coat pigments, gas, and cooking safety.
Kidney beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, why raw or undercooked red kidney beans can cause poisoning, safe cooking, what pooled trials found on cholesterol, gas.
Pinto beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, a small trial of half a cup a day and LDL cholesterol, pooled trials of pulses, gas in feeding studies, and cooking safety.
Navy beans as a food: USDA fiber, folate and protein values, what trials of pulses show for LDL and blood sugar, cooking safety, gas, kidney and allergy notes.
White beans (cannellini and great northern) as a food: USDA values, what pulse trials show for LDL and blood sugar, safe cooking, gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Lima beans as a food: USDA values, why they must be cooked (lectins and a natural cyanide compound), what pulse trials show, plus gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Mung beans as a food: USDA folate, fiber and protein values, what pulse trials show, why raw sprouts need care, and gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Adzuki beans as a food: USDA folate, zinc, fiber and protein values, what pulse trials show, mouse findings on their saponins, and gas, kidney and allergy notes.
Cranberry (borlotti) beans as a food: USDA values, why raw beans need real cooking, what pooled bean trials found on cholesterol and blood sugar, gas, and allergy.
Tepary beans as a food: composition from peer-reviewed sources (USDA has no item), very high raw lectin activity, why they must be soaked and well cooked, and the limite…
Edamame (green soybeans) as a food: USDA nutrient values, what trials say about soy protein and cholesterol, soy allergy, thyroid medicine, pregnancy and gas.
Tofu as a food: USDA calcium, protein and iron values, what research says about soy, cholesterol and heart health, plus soy allergy, MAOI and thyroid medicine cautions.
Urad dal (black gram) as a food: composition from peer-reviewed studies since USDA has no item, cooking and fermentation in idli and dosa, raw-bean cautions, and allergy…
Moth beans (matki) as a food: USDA values, antinutrients that cooking and sprouting reduce, the food-poisoning risk of raw sprouts, and what research does and does not s…
Horse gram (kulthi) as a food: published composition (USDA has none), natural compounds cooking reduces, and why kidney-stone and diabetes claims are unproven.
Bambara groundnut as a food: published composition (USDA has none), why the hard seeds need long cooking, antinutrients, peanut cross-reaction in lab tests, and limits.
Hyacinth beans (lablab) as a food: USDA values, why mature seeds must be boiled well (natural cyanide compounds and lectins), what is known, and safety notes.
Winged beans as a food: USDA values for cooked seeds, why raw seeds hold lectins and enzyme blockers that heat removes, how pods and tubers are eaten, and evidence limit…
Jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis): why the raw seeds are toxic, what the sources say about canavanine, lectin and detoxification, and why we give no home cooking method.
Carob powder as a food: USDA values, why it has no caffeine, small trials on cholesterol and blood sugar, and honest notes on allergy, infant thickener gum and sugar.
Mesquite pod flour as a food: no USDA entry, so composition from published studies, what is known and unknown about blood sugar, raw-pod antinutrients, and allergy.
Hummus (chickpeas with tahini) as a food: USDA fat, fiber and sodium values, what research does and does not show, sesame allergy, tahini outbreaks and gas.
Canned beans (drained, rinsed) as a food: USDA fiber, protein and sodium values, what pulse trials show, why canned kidney beans are safe, BPA in cans and gas.
Pasta made from chickpea, lentil or bean flour: measured protein and fiber, what blood sugar studies found, gluten cross-contact, legume allergy and gas.
Mung and lentil sprouts as food: USDA nutrient values, what sprouting changes in the lab, the raw-sprout food poisoning warning, pregnancy, vitamin K and warfarin.
Chickpea flour (besan) as a food: USDA values, trials on blood sugar and fullness, why raw flour must be cooked, chickpea allergy, gluten-free labels and grass pea mix-u…
Lentil, pea and fava flours as food: values from the dry seeds (no USDA flour entry), a small blood sugar study, fava and G6PD deficiency, allergy and raw-flour safety.
Soy flour and textured soy protein as food: USDA values for three soy ingredients, what soy protein trials found on LDL cholesterol, soy allergy, thyroid medicine, pregn…
Pea protein as a food ingredient: composition ranges, trials on muscle gain and digestibility, pea and peanut allergy, labels, and how it differs from whole peas.
Baked beans as a food: USDA values for home-prepared and canned, sodium and sugar in the sauce, what pooled bean trials found on LDL cholesterol, gas, and allergy.
Refried beans as a food: USDA values for traditional and fat-free canned, sodium, fiber and fat, leftover safety for homemade, what pooled bean trials found on LDL chole…
Falafel as a food: USDA values for home-prepared fried patties, fat and calories, acrylamide and frying, who must check for fava beans (G6PD deficiency), allergy and sau…
Alfalfa and clover sprouts as food: the outbreak history and who should avoid them raw, USDA values, lupus and canavanine cautions, warfarin, and what the lab shows.
What lectins in beans are, why raw or undercooked red kidney beans can cause poisoning, what agencies and studies say about soaking and boiling, and why canned beans are…
Why beans cause gas, what feeding studies found about adapting over weeks, what FODMAPs are, the low-FODMAP diet for irritable bowel syndrome, and sourced ways to ease d…
Dried and canned beans compared with USDA values for sodium, fiber and folate, what draining and rinsing do, what soaking changes, canned-bean safety and the BPA questio…
How to soak and cook dried beans and lentils: soak methods, stovetop and pressure times from university guides, the kidney bean slow-cooker warning, and salt and acid.
Favism and G6PD deficiency: fava beans are the known food trigger. What sources say about other legumes, warning signs, who is at risk, medicines and emergency care.
Must beans and rice be eaten together? What dietitian bodies, reviews and a 2026 meal-level study say about complete proteins, amino acids, DIAAS and plant protein.
Allergy to peanut, soy, lupin, chickpea, lentil and pea explained: how often legumes cross-react, what studies and allergy bodies say, labeling rules, and emergency sign…
These legumes have the most human research summarized in our guides (counted from the evidence ratings on each profile). More research does not mean the legume works or is safe for you: open the guide to see what was found, including negative and mixed results.
Every published legume guide (41), with its names and what it is made of. Each name opens one guide that brings together identity, traditional use, research, safety, forms and sources.
Search by legume, benefit, body system, goal, symptom or lab test. Each result explains why it matches and how strong the evidence is.
Filters: legume group, evidence, body system, body part, goal, root cause, habit, biomarker, condition
Pick a way to look, then pick a choice. Every list links to the full guide.
The ways each legume is used, from its guide: tea, tincture, capsule, powder, extract, topical or the whole legume.
Legumes whose guide documents a point to check for this concern. Being listed does not mean the legume is unsafe for everyone. Open the guide to read the details.
The best level of evidence in each legume guide for any listed benefit. A stronger label for one use says nothing about its other uses or its safety.
Legumes have been used for health in many cultures for centuries. A traditional use tells you what people have done, not that it works. Here every legume is listed under the goals, body systems and actions its guide connects it to, and each link carries the strength of the evidence behind it.
Strongest
17 legumes
Clinical trials support a benefit
Promising
13 legumes
Early or mixed human evidence
Early science
11 legumes
Lab or animal research only
Unknown
0 legumes
Too little evidence to say
Each legume is counted once, at the strongest level its guide documents for any use. A strong label for one use says nothing about its other uses or its safety. "Traditional use" alone is not one of these labels: where a guide only reports history, the link is rated "Too little evidence to say". Read the guide on traditional use and research evidence.
Each card shows how many legumes are linked to a goal and how strong the evidence is. Green means clinical trials support a benefit; grey means too little evidence. These are links the guides document, not recommendations. For the wider picture, see the Wellness Goals section.
15 strongest5 promising
Best-studied
Clinical trials support a benefit (15)
Early or mixed human evidence (5)
Goal pages: Heart Health · Blood Pressure Support · Cholesterol Balance
17 promising
Best-studied
Early or mixed human evidence (17)
Goal pages: Blood Sugar Balance · Weight Management
3 promising
Best-studied
Early or mixed human evidence (3)
Goal pages: Menopause Support
The same links, organized the way anatomy and physiology textbooks do. "Action" describes what a legume is said to do (for example calming or digestive support); it names the claim, not the proof.
Early or mixed human evidence (17)
Clinical trials support a benefit (4)
Early or mixed human evidence (9)
Early or mixed human evidence (13)
Early or mixed human evidence (12)
Early or mixed human evidence (17)
Clinical trials support a benefit (4)
Early or mixed human evidence (9)
Side-by-side guides for legumes that people confuse or choose between. They explain differences; they do not rank the legumes.
Each guide below looks at one concern, from sleep to skin, and separates legumes that were tested in people from legumes that are only traditional or lab-tested.
People have used legumes for health for many centuries. A traditional use tells you what people have done, not that it works. For what research found, see the Health Benefits and Scientific Evidence tabs.
Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and other traditions each use natural remedies in their own systems. The legumes below are the ones whose guide mentions the tradition in its own text. That a tradition uses a legume is history, not clinical evidence. Each guide says separately what trials found.
Read more: Therapies & Traditions.
Legumes are active substances. Some interact with prescription medicines, some are unsafe in pregnancy or with certain conditions, and some have been linked to serious harm. This tab brings together what the individual legume guides document, plus the general rules. Medicine interactions have their own tab.
Have the product bottle with you when you call. Poisoning: What to Do First · Poison Help by Country · Emergency Quick Reference: Whom to Call (911, 988, Poison Help)
Each line comes from a legume's own guide, where it is backed by cited sources: 144 documented risks across 41 of the 41 legumes. A legume missing from a list is not proven safe: it may simply not have been studied. Open the legume's guide for the full wording and sources.
| Legume | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Adzuki Beans | Beans in kidney disease. Beans are generally fine for most people with kidney disease not on dialysis; people on dialysis and people with calcium oxalate … |
| Bambara Groundnut | Beans in kidney disease and kidney stones. Potassium and phosphorus in beans are absorbed less well than from animal foods; most people with chronic kidney disease not on d… |
| Black-Eyed Peas (Cowpeas) | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked black-eyed peas contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on ki… |
| Canned Beans (Drained, Rinsed) | Kidney bean lectin: canned beans are already cooked. The FDA says canned and properly cooked kidney beans have only low levels of the lectin phytohaemagglutinin, while raw or underco… |
| Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked chickpeas contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on kidney d… |
| Cranberry Beans (Borlotti) | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. USDA lists 685 mg potassium and 239 mg phosphorus in 1 cup (177 g) of cooked cranberry beans (15% and 19% of the Daily Value). We… |
| Horse Gram (Kulthi) | Beans in kidney disease and kidney stones. Potassium and phosphorus in beans are absorbed less well than from animal foods; most people with chronic kidney disease not on d… |
| Hyacinth Beans (Lablab) | Beans in kidney disease and kidney stones. Potassium and phosphorus in beans are absorbed less well than from animal foods; most people with chronic kidney disease not on d… |
| Jack Beans (Caution) | Beans in kidney disease and kidney stones. Potassium and phosphorus in beans are absorbed less well than from animal foods; most people with chronic kidney disease not on d… |
| Kidney Beans | Raw and undercooked kidney bean poisoning. Raw or undercooked red kidney beans contain the lectin PHA. It causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea about 1 to 3 hours after eati… |
| Lentils | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked lentils contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on kidney die… |
| Lima Beans | Beans in kidney disease. Beans are generally fine for most people with kidney disease not on dialysis; people on dialysis and people with calcium oxalate … |
| Mung Beans | Beans in kidney disease. Beans are generally fine for most people with kidney disease not on dialysis; people on dialysis and people with calcium oxalate … |
| Navy Beans | Beans in kidney disease. Beans are generally fine for most people with kidney disease not on dialysis; people on dialysis and people with calcium oxalate … |
| Pigeon Peas | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked pigeon peas are a source of potassium and contain phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; … |
| Split Peas | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked split peas contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on kidney … |
| Urad Dal (Black Gram) | Legume cross-reactivity (peanut, kidney bean, black gram, pigeon pea). In 355 patients with asthma or rhinitis in India and a history of legume allergy, immune tests showed extensive cross-reactivity … |
| White Beans (Cannellini & Great Northern) | Beans in kidney disease. Beans are generally fine for most people with kidney disease not on dialysis; people on dialysis and people with calcium oxalate … |
| Winged Beans | Beans in kidney disease and kidney stones. Potassium and phosphorus in beans are absorbed less well than from animal foods; most people with chronic kidney disease not on d… |
| Legume | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Black-Eyed Peas (Cowpeas) | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked black-eyed peas contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on ki… |
| Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked chickpeas contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on kidney d… |
| Cranberry Beans (Borlotti) | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. USDA lists 685 mg potassium and 239 mg phosphorus in 1 cup (177 g) of cooked cranberry beans (15% and 19% of the Daily Value). We… |
| Lentils | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked lentils contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on kidney die… |
| Pigeon Peas | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked pigeon peas are a source of potassium and contain phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; … |
| Split Peas | Potassium and phosphorus for people with kidney disease. Cooked split peas contain potassium and phosphorus. Plant phosphorus is absorbed less than additive phosphorus; people on kidney … |
| Legume | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Adzuki Beans | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans, peas and lentils can cause extra gas because gut bacteria ferment their carbohydrates. |
| Alfalfa & Clover Sprouts | Why washing and home sprouting do not fix it. The FDA says germs on a seed can grow to high levels even in clean home sprouting. A 1999 review found no chemical seed treatment… |
| Alfalfa & Clover Sprouts | Alfalfa, L-canavanine and lupus. Memorial Sloan Kettering says people with systemic lupus should avoid alfalfa tablets because they may cause a relapse; L-canavan… |
| Baked Beans | Sodium and sugar in the sauce. USDA lists 437 mg sodium per 100 g in canned baked beans with pork and tomato sauce (47% of the Daily Value per cup). The BHF say… |
| Baked Beans | Canned baked beans and lectin safety. The FDA says low PHA levels in canned and properly cooked beans will not affect you. Raw or undercooked dried kidney beans are th… |
| Bambara Groundnut | Peanut and soy cross-reaction (lab study). In a lab study using blood from six people allergic to peanut or soy, Bambara groundnut protein bound their IgE antibodies; the a… |
| Bambara Groundnut | Hard seeds, long cooking and antinutrients. PROTA says ripe seeds are very hard and usually need longer cooking than other legumes; cooking time ranged from 40 to 147 minute… |
| Bambara Groundnut | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans and other legumes can cause extra gas because bacteria in the large intestine break down their carbohydrates. |
| Bean & Lentil Pasta | Gluten cross-contact in legume foods. Legumes are not gluten grains, but 2 of 25 bags of dry lentils held wheat or barley grains. The FDA allows a gluten-free claim on… |
| Bean & Lentil Pasta | Gas and FODMAPs from legume foods. Monash lists most legumes and pulses as high in FODMAPs, which gut bacteria ferment. We found no FODMAP testing of legume pasta. |
| Black Beans | Raw or undercooked beans and lectins. Raw or undercooked beans contain the lectin PHA, which can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Red kidney beans are the main con… |
| Black-Eyed Peas (Cowpeas) | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. In three feeding studies black-eyed peas had the lowest share of people reporting more gas in week 1 (19%) and it fell later. Peo… |
| Canned Beans (Drained, Rinsed) | Sodium in canned beans. USDA lists 231 mg sodium per 100 g in drained canned kidney beans and 212 mg in rinsed canned chickpeas. The FDA Daily Value is l… |
| Canned Beans (Drained, Rinsed) | BPA in can linings. The FDA says current approved uses of BPA in food containers and packaging are safe, that small amounts may migrate from can lini… |
| Canned Beans (Drained, Rinsed) | Gas and bloating from beans. NIDDK names beans among foods that can cause gas, and says some people have more gas with a lot of fiber. |
| Carob | Sugar and energy in carob sweets. A nutrition site found a 50 g carob bar had about the same fat and energy as milk chocolate, so carob bars are a sweet treat, not… |
| Chickpea Flour (Besan) | Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) flour and neurolathyrism. Grass pea flour carries a nerve toxin (beta-ODAP) linked to neurolathyrism, which causes stiff weak legs; a 2026 Ethiopian survey… |
| Chickpea Flour (Besan) | Gas and digestion. Legumes contain oligosaccharides and resistant starch that ferment in the colon and can cause gas, bloating and cramping in some … |
| Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. Chickpeas can cause gas. People on a low-FODMAP plan are usually asked to limit pulses for a short time with a dietitian. |
| Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) | Sodium in canned chickpeas. Canned, drained and rinsed chickpeas contain 212 mg sodium per 100 g, against 7 mg in home-boiled chickpeas cooked without salt. |
| Cranberry Beans (Borlotti) | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. Cranberry beans can cause gas like other beans. People on a low-FODMAP plan are usually asked to limit beans for 4 to 6 weeks wit… |
| Falafel | Fava beans and G6PD deficiency (favism). If a falafel recipe or product includes fava (broad) beans, people with G6PD deficiency should avoid it. MedlinePlus Genetics lis… |
| Falafel | Frying, calories and fat. USDA lists 333 kcal and 17.8 g fat per 100 g of home-prepared falafel (one 17 g patty is about 57 kcal). |
| Falafel | Acrylamide in fried falafel. The FDA says acrylamide forms in frying, roasting and baking and that there is no consistent evidence of cancer risk in people fr… |
| Fava Beans (Broad Beans) | Favism and G6PD deficiency. In people with G6PD deficiency, fava beans can cause hemolytic anemia: red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body replace… |
| Horse Gram (Kulthi) | Raw seed compounds: lectins, trypsin inhibitors, phytate, tannins, oxalic acid. Reviews list lectins, trypsin inhibitors, phytates, tannins and oxalic acid in the seed; cooking, soaking, germination and fermen… |
| Horse Gram (Kulthi) | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans and other legumes can cause extra gas because bacteria in the large intestine break down their carbohydrates. |
| Hummus | Salmonella linked to tahini in hummus. A 2011 multistate outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans (23 cases, seven states and DC) was traced to contaminated tahini used … |
| Hummus | Sodium, fat and calories vary by recipe. USDA lists 426 mg sodium and 17.82 g fat per 100 g for commercial hummus, versus 242 mg and 8.59 g for home-prepared. The FDA Dai… |
| Hummus | Gas and bloating from legumes. NIDDK names legumes, including beans and peas, among foods that can cause gas. |
| Hyacinth Beans (Lablab) | Cyanogenic glycosides in mature seeds: boil thoroughly. NC State Extension lists the seeds as a low-severity poison for people because of a cyanogenic glycoside (a natural chemical that… |
| Hyacinth Beans (Lablab) | Raw or undercooked beans: lectins and trypsin inhibitors. PROTA lists haemagglutinins (lectins), trypsin inhibitors, tannins and phytate in the dry seed. The FDA describes nausea, severe … |
| Hyacinth Beans (Lablab) | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans and other legumes can cause extra gas because bacteria in the large intestine break down their carbohydrates. |
| Jack Beans (Caution) | Raw seeds: concanavalin A, canavanine and canatoxin. Feedipedia names concanavalin A (a lectin), canavanine (an amino acid that mimics arginine) and canatoxin as the main antinutriti… |
| Jack Beans (Caution) | Detoxification is incomplete in animal studies. Dehulling, heat and soaking lower the harmful factors; autoclaving alone was not enough in chick feeding, and chicks given beans … |
| Jack Beans (Caution) | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans and other legumes can cause extra gas because bacteria in the large intestine break down their carbohydrates. |
| Lentils | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. Lentils can cause gas. In trials most people reported none to mild symptoms. People on a low-FODMAP plan are usually asked to lim… |
| Lentils | Lectins in raw legumes. Health Canada lists lentils among dry legumes with lectins at varying levels. Its poisoning steps are written for red kidney bean… |
| Lima Beans | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans, peas and lentils can cause extra gas because gut bacteria ferment their carbohydrates. |
| Lima Beans | Cyanogenic glycoside (linamarin) in raw lima beans. Raw lima beans contain a compound that can release cyanide. Commercial US beans are limited by regulation and boiling lowers the … |
| Lupini Beans (Lupins) | Lupin and peanut cross-reactivity. Studies disagree on how often people with peanut allergy also react to lupin: from about 5% to 44% in the studies read. |
| Lupini Beans (Lupins) | Quinolizidine alkaloids and debittering. Raw lupin seeds contain toxic quinolizidine alkaloids. Debittering lowers them, but seeds that start high can stay above safety t… |
| Mesquite Pod Flour | Raw pod trypsin inhibitors and other antinutrients. Raw pods contain trypsin inhibitors; one study found that heating removed their activity, and found no hemagglutinins. A species … |
| Moth Beans (Matki) | Antinutrients in moth beans and how cooking helps. A 2023 review lists lectins, trypsin inhibitors, phytic acid and saponins in moth beans and says soaking, sprouting, boiling, pre… |
| Moth Beans (Matki) | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. Moth beans contain gas-causing sugars (raffinose, stachyose, verbascose) according to a 2023 review, which says soaking, sproutin… |
| Mung Beans | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans, peas and lentils can cause extra gas because gut bacteria ferment their carbohydrates. |
| Navy Beans | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans, peas and lentils can cause extra gas because gut bacteria ferment their carbohydrates. |
| Pigeon Peas | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. Pigeon peas can cause gas like other pulses. People on a low-FODMAP plan are usually asked to limit pulses for a short time with … |
| Pigeon Peas | Mold on stored pulses. A 2026 review says fungal infection generally lowers the nutritional value of pulse seeds. Check dry seeds for mold. |
| Pinto Beans | Raw or undercooked beans and lectins. Raw or undercooked beans contain the lectin PHA, which can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Red kidney beans are the main con… |
| Pulse Flours (Lentil, Pea & Fava) | Fava flour and G6PD deficiency (favism). In G6PD deficiency, fava beans can trigger hemolytic anemia; severity is highest in pregnant women and infants, and most cases re… |
| Pulse Flours (Lentil, Pea & Fava) | Raw or undercooked legumes (lectins) and flour. Health Canada and the FSAI describe lectin illness from raw or undercooked legumes (kidney beans the main concern; lentils and pe… |
| Pulse Flours (Lentil, Pea & Fava) | Gas and digestion. Legumes contain oligosaccharides and resistant starch that ferment in the colon and can cause gas, bloating and cramping in some … |
| Refried Beans | Sodium in canned refried beans. USDA lists 881 mg sodium in a cup of the traditional item (38% DV) and 808 mg in the fat-free item (35%). |
| Refried Beans | Canned beans and lectin safety. The FDA says low PHA levels in canned and properly cooked beans will not affect you. |
| Split Peas | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. Split peas can cause gas. People on a low-FODMAP plan are usually asked to limit pulses for a short time with a dietitian. |
| Tepary Beans | Gas, bloating and FODMAPs. PROTA lists gas-causing oligosaccharides in tepary seeds and flatulence as a barrier to wider use. People on a low-FODMAP plan ar… |
| Urad Dal (Black Gram) | Raw or undercooked urad and antinutrients. Raw black gram holds tannins, phytic acid and trypsin inhibitors; a 2021 lab survey did not detect lectin in raw black gram by it… |
| Urad Dal (Black Gram) | Mold on stored pulses. A 2026 review says fungal infection generally lowers the nutritional value of pulse seeds. Check dry seeds for mold. |
| White Beans (Cannellini & Great Northern) | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans, peas and lentils can cause extra gas because gut bacteria ferment their carbohydrates. |
| Winged Beans | Raw seeds: lectins and trypsin inhibitors, reduced by heat. Reviews list hemagglutinins (lectins), trypsin inhibitors, chymotrypsin inhibitors, tannins, phytate and saponins in the seed. He… |
| Winged Beans | Gas and bloating from beans. Beans and other legumes can cause extra gas because bacteria in the large intestine break down their carbohydrates. |
Some legumes change how a medicine works, or add to its effect. This matters most for narrow-margin medicines such as blood thinners, antidepressants, immunosuppressants, and diabetes and blood pressure medicines. Always tell your pharmacist and clinician about every legume you take. Ask before starting, stopping or combining anything.
Each line comes from a legume's own guide and its cited sources. A legume missing from a list is not proven free of interactions: it may simply not have been studied. Open the legume's guide for the full wording.
| Legume | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Alfalfa & Clover Sprouts | Alfalfa sprouts and warfarin (vitamin K). USDA lists 30.5 mcg vitamin K per 100 g (25% DV); a cup has 10.1 mcg (8%). MedlinePlus advises consistent vitamin K intake week t… |
| Bean Sprouts (Mung & Lentil Sprouts) | Vitamin K and warfarin. A cup of mung bean sprouts has about 34 mcg of vitamin K (USDA). MedlinePlus advises people on warfarin to keep vitamin K intake … |
| Carob | Carob bean gum in infant formula and thyroid medicine. A case report links a carob-bean-gum-thickened formula to worse control of an infant's thyroid medicine; EFSA re-evaluated the gu… |
| Edamame (Green Soybeans) | Soy and thyroid medicine (levothyroxine). A 2023 review found mainly case reports of soy affecting levothyroxine tablet absorption, one randomized crossover study with no … |
| Edamame (Green Soybeans) | Vitamin K and warfarin. MedlinePlus says people on warfarin should keep vitamin K intake steady. USDA lists 31.4 mcg vitamin K per 100 g of frozen, unpre… |
| Fava Beans (Broad Beans) | Medicines that can trigger hemolysis in G6PD deficiency. Some antibiotics and malaria medicines can trigger hemolysis in G6PD deficiency. One case report found methylene blue worsened he… |
| Soy Flour & Textured Soy Protein | Soy and thyroid medicine (levothyroxine). A 2023 review found mostly case reports of soy affecting levothyroxine tablet absorption and one crossover study with no differen… |
| Soy Flour & Textured Soy Protein | MAOI antidepressants and tyramine. NCCIH says soy products high in tyramine, such as tofu and soy sauce, have been linked to dangerously high blood pressure with MA… |
| Soy Foods (Soybeans) | Soy foods, tyramine and MAOI antidepressants. NCCIH reports that soy foods high in tyramine, such as tofu and soy sauce, have been linked to dangerously high blood pressure in… |
| Soy Foods (Soybeans) | Soy and thyroid medicine (levothyroxine). A 2023 review found mainly case reports of soy affecting levothyroxine tablet absorption, one randomized crossover study with no … |
| Tofu | Tofu, tyramine and MAOI antidepressants. NCCIH reports that soy foods high in tyramine, such as tofu and soy sauce, have been linked to dangerously high blood pressure in… |
| Tofu | Soy and thyroid medicine (levothyroxine). A 2023 review found mainly case reports of soy affecting levothyroxine tablet absorption, one randomized crossover study with no … |
For most legumes, good human evidence is limited. Every outcome in our legume guides is rated for how strong the evidence is, and the rating is shown next to it. Across the 41 guides, 24 legumes have no outcome rated "clinical trials support a benefit".
These are the outcomes our guides rate "clinical trials support a benefit", each with the sources the guide cites. Even here, the effect is usually for one preparation, one group of people and one outcome.
How many outcomes each guide rates in each evidence group. Open a guide for the individual outcomes, what was found (including negative results) and the sources.
The guides cite 253 distinct sources. These are the ones cited most often, and the main places to check any legume claim yourself.
The same material can be sold as a powder, capsule, liquid or concentrated extract, and these are not interchangeable. A study of one preparation does not tell you what another does. This tab shows which forms each guide describes, and how to judge product quality.
Different parts can contain different compounds, so the part named on the label matters.
For each kind of preparation, the legumes whose guides describe it. The guides say which form was actually studied. Detailed preparation instructions are in Herbal Teas & Extracts, so they are not repeated here.
Read:
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A whole legume (fresh, dried or powdered) contains everything in the raw material, in amounts that vary. A standardized extract is made to contain a stated amount of one or more marker compounds, which makes batches more consistent but is not the same as the whole legume.
An extraction ratio such as 4:1 says how much raw material was used per unit of extract. It does not by itself say how much active compound a capsule holds or whether the product works. A marker compound is something measured for quality control; it is not always the compound that causes any effect.
Amounts and duration. We do not give universal dose recommendations. Where a source reports the amount and length of use tested for a named preparation, the legume's guide gives it in that context; an amount studied in one product does not carry over to another, or to food-level use.
Absorption. Some active constituents are poorly absorbed, which is why concentrated or specially formulated products exist (curcumin is the best-known case). Better absorption can also raise the risk of side effects.
A good label names the species by its scientific name, says which part is used, and states the amount and form. Third-party testing can check identity, strength and contamination, but a seal is not a guarantee of safety or benefit.
Forms & preparations: the full guide · Herbal Teas & Extracts
They can. Harvard says gut bacteria ferment the resistant starches and sugars in legumes, which makes gas and can cause bloating and cramping in some people, and that soaking dried beans for at least three hours and cooking them may help. [1] See the gas, FODMAP and digestion guide.
We did not find a source that compares them nutrient by nutrient, so we do not claim they are equal. What the FDA does say is practical: canned beans can carry a lot of sodium, so choose low-sodium or no-salt-added cans and rinse canned beans before eating to remove some sodium. [4] See dried versus canned beans.
Harvard's Nutrition Source concludes that soy foods can safely be eaten several times a week, and says claims that soy causes breast cancer or thyroid problems have not been substantiated, while noting the effect on thyroid function needs more study. [6] NCCIH says soy is not safe for everyone: some people are allergic, and soy foods high in tyramine, such as tofu and soy sauce, can interact dangerously with MAOI antidepressants. [5] Isolated isoflavone supplements are a different product from tofu or edamame. [5][6]
Yes. EFSA says undercooked beans containing the lectin phytohemagglutinin are a health concern for all age groups, causing nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. [3] Its advice is to soak beans for 6 to 12 hours, discard the water, and boil for at least 30 minutes at 100 C, and it says steaming, microwaving and roasting are less effective. [3] EFSA does not name slow cookers in the page we read. Properly prepared pulses carry no lectin-related risk. [3] See the cooking dried beans safely guide.
The FDA lists peanuts and soybeans among the nine major food allergens, along with milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat and sesame. [7] Peanuts are legumes, so see peanuts. Trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat after eating is an emergency: call 911 or your local emergency number. [7]
Complete See every legume with filters
Content last updated . The tabs from Health Benefits onward are compiled automatically from the evidence ratings and sources in each legume's guide (last data update November 13, 2026). This section has not been medically reviewed.
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