What are Pulses and Why Are They Important

The popularity of pulses has been rising in recent years—2017 was even declared the year of the pulse by the United Nations—but the name itself might not ring a bell with most home cooks. So what exactly are these suddenly trendy ingredients? In short, a pulse is the edible seed of legumes and includes all types of beans, peas, and lentils.

While they've suddenly come into the spotlight, pulses themselves are not new: They were first grown in the Middle East over 10,000 years ago. The annual crops are always harvested as dry grains as opposed to vegetable crops, which are picked while green. Currently, almost 200 countries grow and import pulses and growing them promotes sustainable agriculture since they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase soil health, and use up less water.

The flavors of various pulses vary widely, but all share a few common characteristics. Pulses are a good option for vegetarians and vegans, but meat-eaters benefit from eating them as well. Pulses will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization officially recognizes that pulse crops fall into 11 different types: chickpeas, dry beans, broad beans (fava beans), lentils, dry peas, cow peas, pigeon peas, bambara beans, vetches, lupins, and a group called pulse nes, which includes several smaller categories.

In the U.S., chickpeas, beans, peas, and lentils are probably the most popular and familiar to home cooks. They're easy to make and there are a wide variety of recipes that showcase each one—below are just a few delicious options using those recognizable pulse crops.