From nourishing beneficial gut microbes to improving specific metabolic markers, pulses combine nutrient density with sustainability; however, researchers believe that more robust, long-term human trials are still needed to confirm many of the proposed health mechanisms.
A review published in the journal Nutrients summarizes evidence from the past decade regarding the role of pulses in supporting sustainable and healthy diets.
Background
Pulses are the dried, edible seeds of leguminous crops, such as peas and beans. Traditional diets often rely heavily on pulses, and they are an integral part of the global food supply. Their excellent nutritional profile—rich in protein, fiber, and various phytonutrients—makes them highly attractive as sustainable, healthy foods, particularly given their generally lower environmental footprint compared to animal-based protein sources.
Protein is critical for growth and development, as well as for maintaining physiological functions. However, dietary protein sources vary widely: from animal-based products in many high-income regions (including parts of Europe) to plant-based foods like pulses and grains in many tropical, low- and middle-income regions. This variation partly reflects the ratio of pastureland to arable land.
Shifting to Plant-Based Diets
Growing environmental consciousness and increased awareness of how current food production and distribution systems impact health have driven a shift toward plant-based diets in many European countries. These diets are typically associated with a smaller environmental footprint. They can also provide a wide range of nutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds that support health and may help prevent chronic diseases. The Role of Metabolites and Anti-Nutritional Factors
Some of these effects may be linked to gut health. For instance, the fiber in legumes can modulate gut microbiota, increasing diversity and boosting the microbial production of beneficial compounds such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These compounds support the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier and help regulate immune and metabolic functions.
Legumes also contain so-called anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), such as phytates and tannins. These can form complexes with minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium, thereby reducing their bioavailability. However, depending on the dosage, food matrix, processing methods, and the individual consumer, these compounds may exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and positively influence the gut microbiome.
Traditional processing methods—including soaking, sprouting, cooking, and fermentation—improve the nutritional profile of these foods by balancing their functional attributes against less desirable characteristics.
A wide range of highly processed plant-based products is currently available that mimic the appearance and taste of animal-based foods. However, concerns have been raised regarding their nutritional quality, the extent of processing involved, and their environmental impact.
Compared to such alternatives, legumes are nutritious, sustainable, and highly functional foods. Nevertheless, their consumption remains low across Europe. This review aimed to synthesize evidence from various fields regarding the role of legumes in promoting health.
Consumption Patterns
In 2022, global production of legume crops totaled approximately 96 million tonnes, corresponding to an average per capita consumption of 20 g/day. This capacity is expected to rise to 125 million tonnes by 2032, potentially increasing per capita consumption to 25 g per day. However, pulse consumption is high (around 35 g/day) in Latin America, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia, whereas in Europe it ranges from 1 to 18 g/day.
In contrast, European guidelines range from a few servings per week to approximately 100 g per day.
Nutritional and functional properties
Pulses provide 17–30% protein, compared to 7–15% in cereals. They also contain high levels of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, minerals, and a variety of bioactive compounds—all within a structure that remains stable during long-term storage.
Pulse proteins are relatively rich in lysine, an amino acid often limiting in cereals. Conversely, pulses contain low levels of sulfur-containing amino acids such as methionine and cysteine, which are supplied by cereals. Thus, traditional combinations of pulses and cereals can provide a more balanced amino acid profile and improve overall nutritional quality …protein.
With 10–20% dietary fiber, 45–65% complex carbohydrates (mainly starch), and a host of essential micronutrients—such as vitamins A, E, and the B-complex, as well as potassium, iron, and zinc—legumes are highly nutritious foods. They also contain phenolics, anthocyanins, and other bioactive compounds with potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Metabolic health and disease risk
Increased legume consumption is associated with a reduced risk of certain non-communicable diseases and favorable metabolic outcomes. Human studies indicate that dietary interventions involving legumes can improve specific cardiometabolic markers, including blood glucose and lipid levels, although results vary depending on the legume type, dosage, dietary format, study duration, population, and background diet. Animal and cell-based studies have also reported effects on weight gain, oxidative stress, bone health, and cancer cell proliferation; however, these findings have not been confirmed to translate into similar benefits in humans.
In vitro studies suggest that sprouting can enhance the anti-inflammatory properties of pea protein fractions. Fava beans, in particular, may possess anti-diabetic and antihypertensive effects, although current evidence is primarily based on preclinical studies.
Impact on gut microbiota
Dietary fibers and oligosaccharides are among the nutritional components of legumes that can nourish beneficial microbes, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species. The presence of these compounds, combined with phenolics, may synergistically boost the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate and propionate. Butyrate, in particular, provides energy to colonocytes, supports intestinal barrier function, and reduces inflammation. The intact matrix of pulses can delay digestion and accelerate the delivery of fermentable substrates to the distal gut, potentially promoting sustained SCFA production and downstream signaling, which may improve metabolic health. Milling, fractionation, or extraction can disrupt this structure, altering the timing and location of digestion and fermentation.
Some pulse-based interventions have also reduced potentially harmful protein fermentation metabolites, such as indole, in animal studies. Notably, human data directly linking whole pulses to metabolic effects mediated by SCFA receptors remain limited, and further research is needed. However, current evidence suggests that pulses influence fasting glucose, HbA1c, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in certain contexts, with emerging data indicating that these effects are partly mediated by microbiome composition, carbohydrate functionality, SCFAs, bile acids, and amino acid metabolites.
In poultry studies, low-phytate pea varieties demonstrated increased iron bioavailability—possibly due to low phytate content, as well as fiber and protein components that stimulate beneficial microbes.
Benefits of Pulse Fermentation
Fermentation is a traditional method of processing pulses that utilizes microbes to break down carbohydrates into organic acids and other metabolites. This process can mitigate the negative impact of antinutritional factors (ANFs) on mineral and trace element absorption. This process can improve protein digestibility and enhance the bioavailability of minerals and phytochemicals (such as polyphenols) by releasing them from bound forms; it can also reduce antinutritional factors (ANFs)—such as phytates, tannins, and protease inhibitors—and generate or increase the concentration of novel bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also alters the profile of gut-fermentable carbohydrates, including raffinose-family oligosaccharides (RFOs), which can exert prebiotic effects but may also contribute to gastrointestinal discomfort when consumed in large amounts.
Fermentation outcomes depend on the specific legume and microorganisms used, as well as the temperature and duration of the process. However, direct evidence of health benefits remains limited, stemming primarily from animal studies.
Potential benefits include improved gut health, favorable metabolic outcomes (e.g., reduced visceral fat and serum lipid levels), and healthier protein fermentation patterns. In certain experimental models, fermentation has been linked to increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and a rise in beneficial bacterial populations.
Further research is needed to assess the risk-benefit ratio of legume fermentation and to identify processes that maintain appropriate ANF levels while enhancing mineral bioavailability and preserving nutritional quality. Standardization of fermentation processes and rigorous quality control are also essential.
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