Legume protein quality

Food legumes such as peanuts, soybeans and dry beans are a major food source, and a main protein source, for much of the world. Legumes supply high amounts of the essential amino acid lysine which is lacking in cereal grains. Production of legume protein is more energy-efficient than cereal grain production, and much less energy-intensive than is production of animal protein. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) of some legumes is equivalent to milk or beef with different bean species exhibiting different PER values. Quick-cooked beans have PER values equal to those for standard cooked products; cooking maximizes the nutritional quality of most beans. However, legume digestibility is low. The otherwise high protein quality of legumes is characterized by methionine deficiency, resulting in complementarity of legumes with cereals. New food products prepared from dry beans supplemented with rice, corn, milk or meat proteins optimize amino acid balance and offer better digestibility