Pulses

Pulses include lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, broad beans, split peas and soya. They hold a place of their own: they are the only plant foods that combine a high protein content (20 to 25% dry weight) with a high density of fibre.

Their protein profile is rich in lysine but limited in methionine, exactly the opposite of cereals, hence the complementarity of traditional pairings. They also provide iron, magnesium, potassium and folate, and their glycaemic index is low.

Soaking and cooking are not just for digestive comfort. This is a decisive technical point: raw pulses contain antinutrients, namely phytates that slow mineral absorption, enzyme inhibitors, and lectins, some of which are downright toxic. Soaking followed by adequate cooking largely neutralises them. Raw or undercooked red kidney beans are toxic; this is not a mere comfort precaution.

As for bloating, often given as a reason to avoid them: it comes from the fermentation of oligosaccharides by the gut microbiome. It eases with gradual introduction, prolonged soaking with rinsing, and habit, as the microbiome adapts. Pulses are also a major source of resistant starch, especially after cooling, which feeds butyrate-producing bacteria.