Abstract
Background: Legumes are an inexpensive, healthy source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients, have low greenhouse gas and water footprints, and enrich soil through nitrogen fixation. Although higher legume consumption is recommended under US dietary guidelines, legumes currently comprise only a minor part of the US diet.Objectives: To characterize the types of legumes most commonly purchased by US consumers and patterns of legume purchases by state and region, seasonality of legume purchases, and to characterize adults that have a higher intake of legumes.Methods: We examined grocery market, chain supermarket, big box and club stores, Walmart, military commissary, and dollar store retail scanner data from Nielsen collected 2017–2019 and dietary intake from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2017–2018.Results: The five leading types of legumes purchased in the US were pinto bean, black bean, kidney bean, lima bean, and chickpea. The mean annual per capita expenditure on legumes based on grocery purchases was $4.76 during 2017–2019. The annual per capita expenditure on legumes varied greatly by state with highest expenditure in Louisiana, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and lowest expenditure in Washington, New York, and Wisconsin. There were large regional differences in the most commonly purchased legumes. Of 4,741 adults who participated in the 24-h dietary recall in NHANES, 2017–2018, 20.5% reported eating any legumes in the previous 24 h. Those who consumed legumes were more likely to be Hispanic, with a higher education level, with a larger household size (all P < 0.05), but were not different by age, gender, or income level compared to those who did not consume legumes.Conclusion: Although legumes are inexpensive, healthy, and a sustainable source of protein, per capita legume intake remains low in the US and below US dietary guidelines. Further insight is needed into barriers to legume consumption in the US.
Highlights
METHODSLegumes have been a basic part of the human diet since the advent of agriculture and development of civilization in the Middle East, Asia, the Americas, and Europe [1]
Legumes have low greenhouse gas (GHG) and water footprints compared to animal meat production, enrich soil through nitrogen fixation, and are an environmentally sustainable source of dietary protein [3]
In order to characterize legume consumption among US adults, ≥20 years, we examined data from a single 24-h dietary recall interview conducted during the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2017–2018 [15]
Summary
METHODSLegumes have been a basic part of the human diet since the advent of agriculture and development of civilization in the Middle East, Asia, the Americas, and Europe [1]. The major sources of dietary protein are meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and nuts. Of these protein sources, legumes are healthy, relatively inexpensive, and widely available. Legumes have low greenhouse gas (GHG) and water footprints compared to animal meat production, enrich soil through nitrogen fixation, and are an environmentally sustainable source of dietary protein [3]. The average consumption of legumes worldwide remains low at 21 g/person/day compared to 112 g/person/day for meat [3]. The average per capita consumption of legumes in the US is only 9.3 g/day [4]. Healthy source of protein, fiber, and micronutrients, have low greenhouse gas and water footprints, and enrich soil through nitrogen fixation. Higher legume consumption is recommended under US dietary guidelines, legumes currently comprise only a minor part of the US diet
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