Representatives of the legume family, their types, importance in the national economy

Soy

Quite a popular legume product with a high content of fat and protein, which is of plant origin. This is why soy is included in many animal feeds. Also used as a substitute for animal products.

As already mentioned, soy contains proteins that are poorly inferior to the same proteins of animal origin, therefore it is often eaten by vegetarians who need to make up for the lack of proteins that could not enter the body due to the rejection of meat food.

Legumes family: general characteristics

Familiar to everyone from school, the family unites a huge number of species, according to rough estimates, about 17-18 thousand. Botanists divide it into three subfamilies (based on the structure of the flower): cesalpinia, mimosa, moth. It is interesting to note that legumes include the genus Astragalus, the largest in the number of species among the flowering species (about 2400). Plants of this family have a fairly large growing area both in the hot tropics (mainly cesalpine and mimosa), and in the Far North, in deserts and savannas.

Such a high adaptability to environmental conditions and climate ensured legumes the presence of almost all life forms that exist in the plant world (with the exception of parasites and epiphytes), from huge trees 80 meters high to tiny grasses.

Vika

A common annual plant that is found almost everywhere. It is often a weed that grows along roads and where there is a lot of debris. Since it is able to grow in the most unexpected places, it is not picky about the soil, it is resistant to frost.

Flowers, as a rule, are solitary, purple or pink, less often white. The beans are light yellow in color, wide.

General information

One of the largest families of flowering plants.

Judging by the found fossils of pollen and wood, the origin of the family dates back to the boundary between the Upper Cretaceous and the Paleocene (65 million years ago).

Some plants in this family are important food items.

Herbaceous members of the family, which are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen, are the main plants used in land reclamation.

They play a special role in the nitrogen cycle of the biosphere.

Over 50 types of legumes are protected in Russia.

Lentils

Lentils are considered one of the oldest cultivated plants.

The most common are red and brown lentils. After heat treatment, brown lentils acquire an unobtrusive nutty smell. And red lentils are used in Asian cuisine.

Since this culture does not contain fats, it can be eaten by people who are overweight. The plus is that thanks to the carbohydrates contained in lentils, it makes you feel full for a long period of time.

Nuts and legumes

So are nuts legumes? Most types of nuts grow on trees and are considered nuts, not legumes.

For example, nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, and Brazil nuts are made up of seeds that are surrounded by pulp and enclosed in a hard shell.

The only exception is peanuts. Unlike other types of nuts, peanuts actually grow underground and are a member of the Fabaceae plant family, which classifies them as legumes.

The only exception is peanuts. Unlike other types of nuts, peanuts actually grow underground and are a member of the Fabaceae plant family, which classifies them as legumes.

Chickpea

For our country, the cultivation of this type of legumes is not typical. Mostly chickpeas are grown in Turkey, North America, Mexico.

It has a nutty flavor. It can be boiled or fried, served as a side dish, or added to pilaf.

Chickpea fruits are small beans that have a brownish-green color and resemble an owl's or ram's head in shape. In comparison with the same peas, it is larger.

What plants are legumes

Legumes include peas, beans, soybeans, and clover. Among them there are forage grasses, and there are grains, the seeds of which are very nutritious. It is not for nothing that legumes are called vegetable meat: after all, the seeds hidden in a special fruit - a bean - contain a lot of protein and can replace animal meat.

Legumes are also called butterflies, although, strictly speaking, butterflies are only one of two subfamilies, the second is mimosa. In moths, the flower really resembles a butterfly or a boat. It has five petals: the upper large one is a flag, two side ones are oars or wings, and two lower ones, fused or stuck together, represent a boat.

Peas

Since it belongs to a legume culture, the fruit of a pea is a bean, which can have a different shape and color, depending on the variety.

It has a hollow stem from light green to dark green, with clinging antennae. Contains only 55 kcal per 100 g of product, therefore it is considered a dietary product. However, in dried form, the number of calories rises sharply, so peas in this form are not recommended in large quantities for obese people.

Benefit and harm

Amaranth thrown back - description of the plant, features

The health benefits of beans are well-founded. Legumes are often used in weight loss diets. The fiber contained in them acts as a sorbent, and amino acids are involved in metabolic processes. Since beans and soy can be successfully substituted for meat, they are recommended for vegetarian menus.

Important. With caution, dishes from all types of legumes should be consumed by people with gastrointestinal disorders and those who suffer from gout. Why is this so? The peculiarity of this product is that it is able to form an accumulation of gases in the intestines, therefore, representatives of legumes require moderate consumption. To reduce the production of gases, dill and fennel are added to such dishes.

Beans, peas, lupines improve the quality of the garden soil and saturate it with nitrogen compounds and other useful substances. Vicu and sainfoin are often used as green manures, improving the structure and chemical composition of the soil. Many of these crops are melliferous and are planted near apiaries. Bees collect healthy and aromatic nectar from legume flowers.

Broad beans

It is an annual plant that can grow to a height of 180 cm. It has round white flowers with dark spots on the wings, collected in inflorescences.

The fruit is a bean. One plant can develop 10-20 fruits, and in some cases even more.

The advantage of fodder beans is the strong attachment of the lower fruits, as this allows harvesting with the help of combines and other agricultural machines.

Nitrogen fixing bacteria

Nitrogen fixation is the hallmark of the entire family.The roots of leguminous plants have nodules, which are formed as a result of the growth of parenchymal tissue. And this, in turn, is explained by the introduction and dispersal of nitrogen-fixing bacteria belonging to the genus Rhizobium inside the plant. They have an amazing ability to absorb and accumulate atmospheric nitrogen, which is then used by the plant itself for its growth. Such a large supply of a vital element has a good effect on the environment. Legumes are great for improving soil fertility. This is widely used both on an industrial scale and by literate and knowledgeable gardeners who do not forget to alternate planting different crops in their area. Every year they return about 100-140 kilograms of nitrogen back to the soil per hectare.

Common peanuts

Bears the name - peanut, a distinctive feature of which is the development of fruits in the ground.

Aerial flowers are yellow-orange, located once or 2-3 in the axils of the leaves. The underground flowers are small and colorless.

Cocoon-shaped beans with a fragile red or dark / light brown shell. Seeds are dark red or light pink, oblong-oval or rounded.

Contraindications

Legumes can harm the human body, so you need to familiarize yourself with the contraindications to their use:

• Individual intolerance.
• Kidney disease.
• A phase of exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis.
• Stomach ulcer.
• Gout.
• Liver diseases (hepatitis, steatosis, hepatosis, cirrhosis).
• Constipation with bloating and intestinal cramps.
• Children up to age 1 year. In some cases, it is allowed to introduce legumes into the diet from 8 months, but only in combination with vegetable puree, which is familiar to the child's body.

During breastfeeding, a nursing mother can only include legumes in her diet after the baby is 1 month old.

Preference should be given to dishes prepared using the minimum amount of salt and spices.

During the day, you need to monitor the baby's well-being. If he develops colic or bloating, legumes should be eliminated from the diet.

Cooking recipes

In the cooking of all peoples of the world, there are dishes made from legumes. Chickpeas, lentils, beans and other legumes are used to make soups, vegetable salads, and even desserts.

Popular Mexican, Asian and Indian recipes are listed below:

Vegetarian salsa

Black Bean Vegetarian Salsa is a light dietary meal that contains foods that are good for human health.

To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:

• canned or boiled black beans - 1 tbsp.;
• canned corn grains - 0.5 tbsp.;
• tomato - 1 pc.;
• avocado - 1 pc.;
• Bulgarian red pepper - 1 pc.;
• bulgarian yellow pepper - 1 pc.;
• lemon juice - 2 tbsp. l .;
• cilantro - 3 branches;
• salt to taste.

Step by step cooking:

1. Dice the tomato, avocado and bell pepper.
2. Finely chop the greens.
3. In a bowl, combine chopped vegetables with corn and beans. Stir all ingredients.
4. Salt the salad, sprinkle with lemon juice and sprinkle with cilantro.

Roasted beans

Roasted beans with salt is a delicious snack popular in Asian countries.

To prepare it, a minimum amount of ingredients is required:

• soy beans - 100 g;
• sea ​​salt - 1 tbsp l .;
• vegetable oil for frying.

Step by step cooking:

1. Pre-soak the beans in water for 8-12 hours.
2. Pour vegetable oil into a small saucepan and heat it.
3. Fry the soaked beans in batter over medium heat until golden brown. Frying takes an average of 5 minutes.
4. Place the fried beans in a plate covered with a paper napkin.This is to remove excess oil.
5. Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.

Lentil sweets

Lentil sweets are an unusual dish that came to us from Indian cuisine. The consumption of sweets is allowed while following a strict diet, as there is no sugar in their composition.

List of ingredients for making a diet dessert:

• lentils - 50 g;
• dates - 50 g;
• dried apricots - 50 g;
• walnuts - 100 g;
• cocoa powder - 2 tbsp. l.

Step by step cooking:

1. Soak dried fruits for softening in cold water for 1 hour.
2. Boil lentils and mash in mashed potatoes.
3. Grind dried fruits and nuts in a blender. Combine the resulting mass with lentil puree, add cocoa and mix all the ingredients.
4. Roll the resulting mixture into balls. Roll each candy in cocoa powder or in coconut flakes.
5. Put the candies in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Before serving, the dessert can be garnished with fresh berries or a sprig of mint.

The most popular plants for food

Most legumes are used for food purposes. Beans, peas, soybeans and other food crops are rich in protein, starch and oils. This makes them a valuable source of energy. Let's consider the most common plants.

Peas

In our latitudes, peas are cultivated on an industrial scale. The Greeks and Romans were engaged in cultivation in ancient times.

The nutritional value of the product is close to that of meat. Plants can withstand frosts down to -5 C. Three varieties of seed peas are grown. Sugar can be eaten raw; it shrinks when dried. Brain variety is most often canned and frozen. Peeling is dried and used for cooking soups and cereals.

Beans

The beans contain valuable organic acids, vitamins, trace elements, flavoncides, protein and carotene. The shapes, sizes and colors of the fruits are varied. Plant height is 0.5-3 m. Shoots are straight and curly.

The product is dried and preserved. There are shelling, sugar and semi-sugar varieties. The former is most often cultivated for grain production. Asparagus takes a special place. These beans are cooked and eaten with the pod.

Lentils

Lentils are an annual plant. Shoots grow up to 70 cm, and the rhizomes are thin and slightly branched. Brown lentils are quickly cooked and used in soups. Green is often used as an ingredient in salads and meat dishes. Red is distinguished by a fast cooking speed (10-12 minutes).

Green lentils are considered the most delicious. The fruits are used for cooking soups and as a side dish, making casseroles, salads.

Peanut

Although everyone calls peanuts a nut, it is a member of the legume family. The plant is grown on huge sown areas, is important in agriculture.

Peanuts are annuals, growing up to 60-70 cm. Fruits reach maturity by September-October. Outwardly, they look like swollen beans, each of which contains 1-5 grains.

The most productive is the Runner variety. But Virginia is famous for the largest fruits.

The seeds have a rich composition and an attractive taste. Confectionery, peanut butter are prepared from peanuts, the fruits are fried and consumed in their pure form.

Soy

The world of agriculture is hard to imagine without soybeans. This legume has a special place. An annual herb is one of the oldest members of its genus.

Soy has gained popularity due to its record protein content, high yield and unique composition. This culture is used to make butter, sauces, flour, milk, cheese. Soy can easily replace meat.

Farmers receive tons of edible beans every year. Whole industrial complexes have been built on their basis.

Ornamental representatives of legumes

The legume family contains plants that are grown for aesthetic purposes. The most popular decorative representatives:

Mimosa

It is a herbaceous perennial that exudes a delicate pleasant aroma. The genus of mimosa has more than 500 species. The height of the plant is 30-70 cm. In its natural environment, mimosa can grow up to 1.5 m. The flower is also kept as a room. However, one must remember about its toxicity. Animals and small children should not be allowed to the plant. From tobacco smoke, mimosa can instantly shed foliage.

Lupine

There is an annual and perennial lupine shrub. The seeds are enriched with a large amount of oil, which is similar in properties to olive oil.

The plant is used to decorate flower beds and gardens. there are flowers of pale cream, yellow, purple, red and other colors. Lupine is used as a fertilizer for their own garden plot.

Acacia

Acacia is a fast growing tree that grows up to 12 m in height. The trunk diameter is about 65 cm, the crown is lush and spreading. The tree is decorated with fluffy yellow flowers with a pleasant aroma. During the flowering period, the tree is simply strewn with fragrant bright inflorescences. Acacia honey is especially appreciated. Acacia is a thermophilic plant and does not tolerate temperatures below -10 C.

The legume family is one of the most numerous on the planet. The crop is prized for its high nutritional properties and productivity.

Representatives grow in different climatic latitudes. In our area, legumes are grown on huge sown areas. In terms of prevalence, the family competes only with cereals.

Now you can watch an interesting video about legumes:

Life form

Legumes are found in a variety of life forms. These are mainly woody and semi-woody plants.

Woody biomorphs are presented in the form of shrubs, trees, perennial grasses. Herbaceous forms are found in countries with temperate climates.

Acacia Karagan

Examples of these forms are acacia, bean, robinia, wisteria, rank and many other species.

Semi-woody legumes are half-shrubs and half-shrubs. Examples of the most famous species are sophora, broom, blizzard.

Sophora Japanese

Such bioforms are mainly found in countries with temperate and tropical climates.

Vine-shaped legumes are sometimes found in the tropics. For example, canavalia.