Peas and beans (pulses) are great sources of nutrients, and in particular and high in fibre and protein. The protein content of pulses is important because a large proportion of the world’s population rely on them for adequate protein in the diet. Because of their importance in human nutrition, a large number of studies have assessed the quality of the protein in pulses. Generally, these studies are in agreement that the digestibility of the protein in pulses is high and is above 90 % of most pulses. These values compare favourably to animal proteins which also mostly have digestibility scores in the 90 % + range. Legumes are also a good source of lysine, which is often low in grains, and this means that they can provide the lysine that is missing from grains. This is important because a large proportion of the world’s population that does not have access to high intakes of meat, often rely on grains for their energy needs and pulses can improve the low lysine grains and together with pulses can provide much better protein quality.
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