What is the primary difference in beans, peas and lentils?
All three categories belong to the family of plants called legumes. Beans are distinguished as those which are kidney shaped or oval. Peas are round shaped and lentils are shaped liked a disk. All three are grown in pods. Legumes are low in fat, high in fiber, and are an excellent source of protein. One serving, which is about three tablespoons, can actually provide you with about half of the daily requirement of folate needed for your diet. However, 1/3-1/2 cup servings of legumes are recommended as a daily dietary requirement. Legumes are also high in vitamin B and rich in antioxidants. They are considered a non-starch vegetables and is “one of the least glycemic sources of carbohydrates, because the starch is either slowly absorbed or resistant.” Interestingly, there are many categories that do not fit neatly into the family of legumes and can be confusing to many people because they are grown in a pod, and are neither kidney shaped nor round. They considered fresh beans and include
