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  • Page | Last updated: 29 Jan 2024

Dietary recommendations for legumes and pulses intake

Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway

Legumes and pulses

Dietary recommendations for legumes and pulses intake as described by food and health-related organisations

Legumes and Pulses recommended intakes

WHO 2020
  • “Eat more fruits, vegetable, legumes, nuts and grains, and cut down on salt, sugar and fats”.
FAO 2016
  • Eat at least 400g of fruit and vegetables per day, which includes pulses and other legumes.
WCRF 2018
  • “Make wholegrains, vegetables, fruits and pulses (legumes) such as beans and lentils a major part of your usual daily diet”.
Dutch dietary guidelines 2015
  • Eat legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans, at least once a week.
Danish Official Dietary Guidelines 2021
  • Eat more vegetables and legumes, and less meat (qualitative).
  • About 100 g a day (in addition to the 600 g of vegetables and fruits) is adequate when eating a plant-rich and varied diet (quantitative).
Italian Dietary Guidelines 2020
  • Increase the consumption of fresh and dried legumes (beans, chickpeas and lentils) alternating them with animal protein sources (meat, fish, eggs, milk and derivatives), always taking care to limit the addition of oils and fats (qualitative).
  • 3 servings per week (quantitative).
Latvia – Healthy diet recommendations for adults 2020
  • Eat legumes, fish or lean meat, as well as eggs, nuts and seeds (qualitative).
  • The recommended amount of these products is 2 to 3 servings per day (quantitative). 
The Austrian food pyramid 2010
  • Eat five servings of vegetables, legumes and fruits every day, ideally as 3 servings of vegetables and/or legumes and 2 servings of fruit. One portion corresponds to approximately 70-100g of raw legumes and 150-200g of cooked legumes.
NNR 2023
  • It is recommended that pulses are included as a significant part of the regular dietary patern. Pulses are important providers of nutrients such as dietary fibre, protein, iron and zinc.
Dietary Guidelines for the Belgian Adult Population 2019
  • At least once a week. They can be fresh, dried, frozen, canned or pureed.
Spain- Healthy and sustainable dietary recommendations 2022
  • At least 4 servings a week aiming for an eventual daily consumption. If they are canned, choose low-salt varieties.
The Eatwell Guide 2018
  • Eat more beans and pulses weekly.
NIHBI 2021
  • Eat 4-5 half-cup servings of pulses/legumes weekly.
DGAC 2020
  • Eat 1 ½ cup of pulses equivalents/week (cooked from dry or canned) for a 2 000 kcal diet.