LEGUMES AND FOODS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN - NUTRITION - 2026

The leguminous plants and animals food source are basic for a proper diet. Legumes or Fabaceae are a plant species of the Leguminosae family, of the order of Fabales. Examples of legumes are lentils, beans, kidney beans, beans, peas, broad beans, soybeans, lupins, peanuts, among others. Examples of foods of animal origin are chicken, pork, beef, eggs, or milk.

Legumes are very easy to recognize by the characteristic shape of their fruit, which is commonly called legume (from the Latin legume), which is why legumes in general are popularly called "legumes".

Due to their nutritional properties and their relatively easy cultivation, they are the main responsible - along with cereals - for the growth and development of populations throughout history.

Sociologically, legumes are known as “the meat of the poor”, since they have a high protein content at a much lower cost than that of beef or other animals (the main protein source), which is usually only accessible to the wealthiest economic classes. Legumes are also an important source of fiber, B vitamins, and minerals such as calcium and iron.

Foods of animal origin also provide high-quality proteins, essential for healthy bone and muscle development.

They also provide significant amounts of iron, zinc and vitamins of group B and D. They should be consumed in a lower proportion than vegetables due to their high content of unhealthy fats and their high caloric content.

Legumes vs foods of animal origin

What both types of foods have in common is, basically, their high protein content. However, protein of plant origin is found in cereals and legumes in suboptimal concentrations, so to match its benefits, the intake of legumes would have to be much higher than that of meat.

A vegetarian diet supplemented with dairy products and eggs will enhance the synthesis of more balanced proteins.

Furthermore, the digestion of proteins of animal origin is usually superior to that of proteins of plant origin. In conclusion: the balanced consumption of all the food groups is what guarantees a healthy life.

Legumes

The characteristic of legumes is that their fruits are shaped like pods inside which grow edible seeds arranged in a row. As the plant matures, the pods dry out and seeds that store food are born for another plant to germinate.

In addition to its importance and benefits for the human body, legumes are of great importance for the soils where they are grown, since, through the nodules in their roots, they are able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, thanks to the symbiosis with the Rhizobium bacteria.

The year 2016 was decreed the International Year of Legumes by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in order to highlight the nutritional importance of these foods and stimulate their consumption.

There are many species of legumes, but there are really few that are used for human and / or animal nutrition, as well as for applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile, etc. industries.

Legumes have various origins, depending on the species: from Mesopotamia, through East Asia, to pre-Columbian America. Legumes, along with cereals, are believed to have been the first plants cultivated by ancient agricultural civilizations.

The best known legumes are grain, such as beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas or soybeans, but there are also "forage" legumes, from which a part of the plant other than the seed is consumed, such as they can be leaves or stems. These include alfalfa and carob.

Some legumes commonly consumed today are: beans, soybeans, peas, lentils, peanuts or peanuts, chickpeas, tamarind, carob and alfalfa, among others.

Legumes benefits

1- They have a low glycemic index, so it is a good food to include in the menu of diabetics or people with insulin problems.

2- They have low fat and high fiber content that increases the feeling of satiety, ideal for people on dietary regimes.

3- It reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, due to the positive effects of fiber on LDL cholesterol.

4- Some of its vitamins, such as folate, prevent congenital malformations in the fetus.

5- Its high iron content prevents anemia, which is enhanced when combined with the consumption of foods that contain Vitamin C, which helps absorb iron.

6- Legumes are gluten-free. Ideal for celiacs.

7- Rich in antioxidants and phytoestrogens that promote bone health during aging.

Food of animal origin

The basic diet of all human beings is made up of a portion of foods of plant origin (fruits, vegetables, vegetables, legumes and cereals) and another of animal origin.

Among the latter are milk and its derivatives, eggs and meat of different animal species, the most common being bovine, swine, ovine and goat, as well as fish and other seafood.

A balanced diet must include foods from all these groups in a balanced way, although it is true that in contemporary societies, this balance is often affected, with the consequent appearance of diseases and nutritional disorders.

Benefits of foods of animal origin

1-They generate natural defenses and create antibodies, by complementing essential amino acids for the body, such as lysine.

2- Rapid absorption of proteins: up to 90% easier to assimilate than those of legumes and vegetables.

3- They are primary sources of essential fatty acids such as omega-6 and omega-3 (the latter present in high concentrations in fish), very important for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

4- It favors the absorption of calcium.

5- They have a high content of vitamin B12 (Riboflavin), especially in eggs, and vitamin A such as retinol, only present in products of animal origin.

6- It contributes to the generation of muscle mass, important for people who perform physical training or patients with chronic degenerative diseases.

7- Improves circulation, oxygenates the blood and raises or maintains the red blood cell count.

8- Consumed in the form of broths, they raise the body's natural defenses and release minerals such as calcium and phosphorus that benefit the bone and digestive system.

9- The cartilage and tendon juice has a high content of chondroitin and glucosamine, especially indicated for arthritis and joint ailments.

References

1. Fernando Bas (2014). The benefits of foods of animal origin. Agronomy and Forestry Magazine N ° 49 Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Recovered from agronomía.uc.cl.
2. Nutritional benefits of legumes (2016). Recovered from fao.org.
3. 8 benefits of animal proteins. Recovered from salud180.com.
4. Healthy diet: food of animal origin. Recovered from onmeda.es.
5. Legumes: Classification and nutritional properties. Recovered from metabolic-balance.es.
6. Legumes and their health benefits. Recovered from habladenutricion.com.
7. Herbarium of the University of Navarra. Recovered from unavarra.es.
8. 20 examples of legumes. Recovered from examples.co.
9. Dictionary-Glossary Vermiculture and Organic Ag. Recovered from manualdelombricultura.com.