# Bean pea lentil gram legume pulse **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 11, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040 "2017-09-11T01:05:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/1 "2017-09-11T01:05:36Z")
For whatever reason the Wikipedia articles I’ve found don’t clear up this question for me. The terms bean, pea, lentil, gram, legume, and pulse — are they interchangeable? So they designate separate things? Or is it all hopelessly confused? What’s the deal? Are they just arbitrary designations? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/2 "2017-09-11T02:41:31Z")
Beans, peas, and lentils are all kinds of legumes. Peanuts, too. All of the legumes are high in proteins, including amino acids that are usually uncommon in plant foods, and they all (or rather, symbiotic bacteria that live in their roots) help to fix nitrogen, replenishing land that’s been depleted in growing other crops. I’ve never heard “gram” used for anything but the metric unit, the mass of one cubic centimeter of water. And I _think_ that “pulse” is the word for the seed of a legume, which is usually the part that we eat. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/3 "2017-09-11T02:56:05Z")
They are partly overlapping categories. Some terms apply to a whole plant family, others to a single species. The broadest is legume, referring to any member of the family Fabaceae, which includes beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas and thousands of other species. Pulses are generally edible seeds of the family Fabaceae, including beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas. “Bean” can be applied to various edible legume seeds in several different genera. It is also applied to seeds in other plant families such as coffee beans. The application of this name is somewhat arbitrary. Peas are generally the seeds of _Pisum sativum_, but several other species are also called peas, like chickpeas, pigeon peas, and cowpeas. As with beans, which species are called peas is somewhat arbitrary. Lentils are one species of pulse, _Lens culinaris_ Gram is a flour made of ground chickpeas. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/4 "2017-09-11T03:17:42Z")
Does that afore mentioned ‘gram’ have anything to do with ‘Graham’ in Graham crackers…yum ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/5 "2017-09-11T08:03:16Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Does that afore mentioned ‘gram’ have anything to do with ‘Graham’ in Graham crackers…yum No, I believe that comes from a Mr. Graham, the ‘inventor’. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/6 "2017-09-11T12:38:59Z")
But it would be connected to “garam”, as in garam masala (an Indian dish of spiced chickpeas). And as an illustration of the names being somewhat arbitrary, chickpeas are also called Garbanzo beans. Are they peas or are they beans? Doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/7 "2017-09-11T12:55:47Z")
That’s incorrect. Garam masala is a spice mixture, while the dish of spiced chickpieas is chana masala. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/8 "2017-09-11T12:58:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But it would be connected to “garam”, as in garam masala (an Indian dish of spiced chickpeas). The “garam” in “garam masala” means “hot” or “warm.” It means “warming spices” and refers to a spice mixture that can be used in a variety of dishes, not just chickpeas. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/9 "2017-09-11T13:25:50Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Gram is a flour made of ground chickpeas. No, that’s “gram flour”. _[Gram](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_(disambiguation)#Agriculture_and_horticulture)_ is an umbrella term for non-split pulses, like chickpeas or soybeans. It’s the antonym of _[dal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal)_, for split pulses like peas or lentils. [Pulses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legume#Terminology) are specifically those legumes that are harvested dry for human consumption, so garden peas are legumes, but not pulses. And yes, the distinctions are arbitrary and nebulous. Like the distinction between peas and beans. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/10 "2017-09-11T14:27:44Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But it would be connected to “garam”, as in garam masala (an Indian dish of spiced chickpeas). You might be confusing that with the usual name of the chickpea dish, which is chana masala or chole masala. _Chana_ is the Hindi word for _gram_ (as in unsplit pulses), as I understand it, but in most cases when I see it, it seems to refer to chickpeas. Perhaps someone with a bit more of Hindi knowledge can chime in. ETA: Oops, I see the chana masala part has already been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/11 "2017-09-11T14:46:03Z")
And I think we’ve established that it’s been way too long since I’ve ordered at an Indian restaurant. I really ought to do something about that… ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/12 "2017-09-11T15:14:06Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > [Pulses](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legume#Terminology) are specifically those legumes that are harvested dry for human consumption, so garden peas are legumes, but not pulses. Thanks for that. I’ve been wondering lately why you never see “fresh” kidney beans, black beans, etc. I was envisioning the beans being harvested like peas, then either dried or cooked and put in cans, and I kept thinking, “Why can’t I get them neither cooked nor dried?” It never occurred to me that they were harvested dried like, well, like seeds. :smack: And I’m a vegetarian and I love Indian cooking. I eat some variety of bean/lentil/pulse/dal/etc. at damn near every meal. :smack::smack: I suppose next you’re going to tell me that if they’re harvested in their immature state, they’re “green” beans. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/13 "2017-09-11T16:00:49Z")
It never occurred to me, either, that they’d be already dried when harvested. Certainly with green beans, you want to harvest them before they dry out. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/14 "2017-09-11T16:12:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > _Chana_ is the Hindi word for _gram_ (as in unsplit pulses), as I understand it, but in most cases when I see it, it seems to refer to chickpeas. It always refers to chickpeas, AIUI, not other kinds of _gram_- sometimes the dark smaller kind, _desi chana_ or _kala chana_, which aren’t like the common Western type. \*Chole \* or _kabuli chana_ are the larger kind more familiarin the west (so, usually, if a restaurant round here serves _chana masala_, it’s actually _chole masala_) . \*Chana \*is _gram_, but not all \*gram \*is _chana_. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/15 "2017-09-11T16:16:23Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I suppose next you’re going to tell me that if they’re harvested in their immature state, they’re “green” beans. Well, yes. And then again, no. The green beans we get are specifically bred to be harvested young, with less fibrousness, so aren’t the same varietals as the dried beans - i suspect green beans make poor dried beans, and vice-versa. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/16 "2017-09-11T16:22:22Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > It always refers to chickpeas, AIUI, not other kinds of _gram_- sometimes the dark smaller kind, _desi chana_ or _kala chana_, which aren’t like the common Western type. \*Chole \* or _kabuli chana_ are the larger kind more familiarin the west (so, usually, if a restaurant round here serves _chana masala_, it’s actually _chole masala_) . > > \*Chana \*is _gram_, but not all \*gram \*is _chana_. OK, it looks like there are different types of chana (kabuli, desi/kala), but they all just seem to be a different variety of chickpea, with kabuli chana being what we know as Garbanzo beans or chickpeas, and the latter being a smaller, dark version of the chickpea called a “black chickpea.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/17 "2017-09-11T16:33:17Z")
This seems to call for a Venn diagram. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/18 "2017-09-12T05:44:16Z")
When I saw the thread title, I was sure this was going to be some sort of livestreaming spam post. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/19 "2017-09-12T16:06:51Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > When I saw the thread title, I was sure this was going to be some sort of livestreaming spam post. Yeah, it’s better to post an actual coherent question as a thread title. I tend to shoot first and ask questions later when I see a bunch of words strung together, which is a typical strategy of the spammers.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040/20 "2017-09-12T20:07:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve never heard “gram” used for anything but the metric unit, the mass of one cubic centimeter of water. Close, but not precisely. [The current definition is just a piece of metal, but even the new definition is more interesting than just a volume of water](http://www.nature.com/news/kilogram-conflict-resolved-at-last-1.18550) > [@](#): > > n 2011, the CIPM formally agreed to express the kilogram in terms of Planck’s constant, which relates a particle’s energy to its frequency, and, through E = mc[sup]2[/sup], to its mass. [More precisely](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_redefinition_of_SI_base_units) > [@](#): > > The kilogram, symbol kg, is the SI unit of mass. It is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant _h_ to be 6.626070040×10[sup]−34[/sup][Note 3] when expressed in the unit J⋅s, which is equal to kg·m[sup]2[/sup]·s[sup]−1[/sup], where the metre and the second are defined in terms of c and Δν[sub]Cs[/sub]. I just find it fascinating that we’re using the quantum scale factor (as in, you can define how far you are from quantum scale in terms of how large or small _h_ is to you) directly to define what a kilogram is… … and we _still_ can’t make the foundational unit the gram, instead! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-pea-lentil-gram-legume-pulse/796040.md?page=2)