Adequate, balanced nutrition matters at every stage of life, but it's especially important in infancy — the period of fastest growth. The stretch from birth to the end of the second year is when children grow and develop most rapidly, making it the most important window for a healthy start. Growth faltering during this time is very hard to correct later, which is why good feeding habits should be established early and why supporting mothers with clear information matters so much. So where do legumes fit in?
What are legumes?
Legumes are the edible seeds of leguminous plants. They're a staple in most cultures and, eaten together with grains, become an important source of nourishment. The group includes white beans, borlotti-type beans, chickpeas, lentils and soya. Because they are mature, dried seeds, legumes provide protein, “complex” carbohydrates and fibre — cellulose on the outer coat and starch inside. Their fat is mostly unsaturated, with soya being the richest in fat.
When and how to introduce them
Legumes can be introduced from around the 8th month: cooked, with the skins removed, and served as a purée. As your baby tolerates them, you can gradually make the texture firmer, and from around 12 months your baby can eat them in the same form as the rest of the family.
What legumes provide
Along with eggs, legumes sit in the “meat group” of foods. In general this group provides:
- Protein
- Iron, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium
- Vitamins B6, B12, B1 and A
- Fibre (in legumes)
Why it matters: this group supports growth and development; supplies nutrients involved in cell renewal, tissue repair and vision; provides the key nutrients for healthy blood formation; is a leading source of nutrients for the nervous system, digestive system and skin; and is the single most important group for building resistance to illness.
A note on protein and iron quality
Legumes are the richest protein source within this group, but the biological value of plant protein is lower than that of animal protein. In animal studies, the biological value of legume protein ranged from about 40–60% of egg protein (egg being the reference at 100%), with soya the highest. This is because legumes are limited in sulphur-containing amino acids and are somewhat harder to digest. The good news: when legumes are combined with grains in the right proportion and cooked well, the biological value of the mixture can rise to around 70%. Legumes are also rich in iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium — though because of their phytate content, iron and calcium are absorbed less efficiently than from meat.
Meat, poultry, fish and eggs contain heme iron, while legumes contain non-heme iron. Cooking preserves heme iron but can reduce non-heme iron. For this reason, legumes and eggs shouldn't be relied on as a baby's sole source of protein and iron. Iron-deficiency anaemia is common in babies and young children, so iron-supportive feeding is important: lean red meat, vegetable dishes cooked with meat, and legume dishes should be offered alongside vitamin-C-rich vegetables and fruit, which boost iron absorption. Legumes are also rich in B-group vitamins (other than B12) and vitamin E.
Preparing legumes so they're gentle on little tummies
Because of their high fibre content, legumes can be harder to digest, so a few preparation rules help minimise gas and make them easier on young digestive systems. Soaking and thorough cooking reduce their gas-forming effect. Preparation happens in three stages:
1. Soaking. First pick over and rinse the legumes, then soak in room-temperature water for 8–10 hours (or 3–4 hours in warm water). Smaller lentils don't need soaking after this.
2. Removing the skins. Once soaked, the seeds soften and their skins come away easily. Adults don't need to remove them, but for babies and anyone with digestive sensitivity, taking off the skins makes digestion easier. The skin is largely cellulose, which our digestive enzymes don't fully break down; it passes to the large intestine, where bacteria break most of it down and the rest is passed out.
3. Cooking. Cook the soaked (and, if needed, peeled) beans or chickpeas in water covering them by a finger's width or two, until soft. Raw seeds contain antitrypsin, which blocks the enzyme that digests protein; cooking deactivates it and makes legumes far easier to digest. Hard water lengthens cooking time. Because vitamins and minerals leach into the cooking water, don't throw it away — cook with the lid on (a pressure cooker works well), and add flavourings like tomato paste, onion and salt near the end. Legumes can be eaten plain like this or cooked with meat added.
One important tip: don't add baking soda or bicarbonate to speed up cooking — it destroys vitamins.
Merve Tığlı, Dietitian