Though the term “bean” may refer to different plant species, many of the types of beans frequently eaten by humans can be further classified into a subgroup called pulses. Pulses are the edible, dry seeds from legume plant pods.
Common varieties of pulses include:
- Beans: Kidney, adzuki, black, pinto, black-eyed pea, mung, fava
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): Desi and kabuli
- Dry peas: Whole green, split green, whole yellow, split yellow
- Lentils: Red, green, brown and black