Which food group do beans come into?

[schnapps]

Are beans a pulse, and therefore in the protein food group, or a vegetable like peas? What about baked beans?

pulse

pulse.

they are good good sources of protein.

peas are pulses too, and baked beans are haricot beans, which are a pulse.

So, does that mean that peas are not a vegetable then?

pulses are a variety of vegetable, aren't they?

I don't think they are, no...

They have similar protein make up as beans, I think.

Why

So, they don't count towards the 5-a-day fruit and veg thingumy?

...peas I mean

I would have thought peas or ebans would count, if fresh/frozen - most pulses are dried and then soaked, which I think means they don't count as fresh fruit/veg portions... but a pulse is a form of vegetation, certainly. Potatoes are also vegetables, but they don't count in the 5-a-day thing either. It's not a very good system really. :)

Actually they can count. Baked beans do count, as do peas

from a gov site 'One portion of vegetables is, for example, 3 heaped tablespoonfuls of cooked carrots or peas or sweetcorn, or 1 cereal bowl of mixed salad. Beans and other pulse vegetables, such as kidney beans, lentils and chick peas only count once a day, however much you eat. Potatoes don't count towards the 5 A DAY target because they are a 'starchy' food.'

So there you have it!!

pulses are 'vegetables' in that they come from plants, but, like nuts, seeds, potatoes etc, they have characteristics over and above their vegginess.

they count, but you can count a maximum 1 portion a day.

How blumming confusing!! I was sure that beans were a protein and peas were a veg, but couldn't work out how beans and peas are also in the same group of pulses.

So, how come beans can only be counted once as a veg, but peas are counted as a normal veg like carrots?

I think beans in their pods e.g. runner beans and french beans are a vegetable though

... or can peas only be counted once aswell?

but don't baked beans come from a pod? If not, where?

scnapps - I mean that you eat the pod as well as the seed e.g. runner beans

ok, here it is as I see it. peas are a legume, they are not beams, they can be counted as many times as you can stand to eat them. Or twice, whichever is the lesser.

Beans however can only be counted once.

oh well according to the gov, peas nad runner beans are pulses - see \link{http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritionessentials/eggsandpulses/pulses/\here}

It says \link{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legume\here}that beans are a lagume as well as peas, and they grow in pods like peas. So, I still don't understand what makes beans different from peas in the food groups/5-a-day categories.

Beams Filly? Well, I suppose the stalks can be a bit woody. Or is it because they are as jolly as sunbeams?

from the FSA website

What's a pulse?

A pulse is an edible seed that grows in a pod. Pulses are a great source of protein for vegetarians, but they are also a very healthy choice for meat-eaters.

Pulses include the whole range of beans, peas and lentils such as:

* baked beans
* red, green, yellow and brown lentils
* black eyed peas
* garden peas
* runner beans
* chickpeas
* broad beans
* kidney beans
* butter beans

oh yes, it is actually quite important not to eat more than 2 portions of beams a day. They can have unfortunate effects.

can you speak norwegian btw tick?

So, beans and peas are definitely pulses, and therefore come in to the PROTEIN food group, and BEANS AND PEAS ARE DEFINITELY NOT VEGETABLES?? This is confirmed and agreed? PEAS ARE NOT A VEGETABLE?

I Neeeed to know 'cos I'm teaching healthy eating to a bunch of kids and I just know that if I say that peas are a vegetable there'll be an irate mum posting on mumsnet that her child's thicko teacher doesn't even know that peas are not vegetables!!

dunno, I thought beans and peas were vegetables but beans are one to which special food group rules apply, same as for potatos.

Beams on the other hand are dangerous, except in moderation.