legumes

• Legume family - includes a number of important crop species including pulse crops such as soybean, peas and beans, as well as forage legumes such as alfalfa and the clovers.
• Soybean - native to china. it is one of the oldest cultivated crops and is likely related to Glycine ussuriensis, a small-seeded, wild relative still found in the region.
• Soybean - The chinese domesticated it nearly 3000 years ago, and it was regarded as a sacred grain essential for survival of their culture
• Soybean - It was imported into japan and korea early in the first century and into europe in the early1700s.
• Soy flour - Contains 50 percent protein. it can be made into texture soy flour by extruding moistened soy flour into different shapes and sizes.
• Lecithin - it is used in the food industry as an emulsifier to provide uniform mixing of components, especially of fats. it is also used as a lubricant.
• beverages and infant formulas - these can be made with soymilk or isolated soy protein. for flavor, fruit juices or other ingredients are added.
• edmame - These are large, vegetable soybeans harvested when the beans are still green and sweet tasting.
• soynuts - these are whole soybeans that have been soaked in water and then roasted until browned.
• soy sauce - a dark-brown liquid made from soybeans that has undergone a fermenting process.
• tofu - a soft, cheese-like food made by curdling fresh, hot soymlik.
• field beans - are Phaseolus species and are harvested as mature dry seeds, as opposed to green beans that are harvested for their edible pods.
• peanuts - is dug, extracted, processed, and consumed as a snack food.
• field peas - (pisum sativum) are native to western asia and were domesticated up to 9000 years ago in the fertile crescent. they have been an important human food source since the beginning of agriculture.
• lentils - an important human food crop dating back to the beginning of domesticated agriculture and are even mentioned in the Bible.
• lentils - a high-protein grain that is mostly used for human food. The whole or split seeds are eaten in lentil soups or stews, and ground into flour.
• Chickpea - also known as garbanzo bean, is a short-stature legume grown for its edible seed that is an important food source for human consumption in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and especially India where it is used in a variety of dishes.
• chickpea - It originated in Turkey and was domesticated up to 8500 years ago.

  The dried seeds are cooked or boiled. The seeds are also ground for flour, eaten green like peas, and the green pods and shoots are eaten as a vegetable.
• faba beans - (vicia faba), also known as fava beans, horse beans, broad beans, pigeon peas, or windsor beans, are one of the world's oldest cultivated vegatable crops.
• cowpeas - (vigna unguiculata) are also called black-eyed peas and were domesticated in central africa up to 6000 years ago. can be ground into flour, or be sold whole in dry, canned, or frozen forms.