The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) declared 2016 International Year of Pulses, or legumes, which lentils – and many say green peas – fall under. Citing enormous health benefits that include reducing the risk of all sorts of awful diseases, relatively low GI and high in fiber, they're somewhat of a diet must.

one has to wonder how special they really are

If you've ever tried to eat healthfully, you're probably familiar with the taste and texture of the everyday lentil: mushy, dry and bland. There's little that can be added to improve the taste without adding too many calories or something naughty. It also takes forever to cook them properly, so one has to wonder how special they really are and why the more common legume, green peas, can't be a substitute.

Lentils

To begin with, a cup (198g) of lentils has 18 grams of protein, and around a third of an adult female's recommended daily intake of iron (RDI), or 80 percent for an adult male. These factors alone make it an appealing protein and iron source for vegans and vegetarians.

Lentils also contain very high phosphorus and potassium levels. In a vegan diet, phosphorus is generally only higher in rice or grains, but almost half of an adult's RDI can be found in a cup of lentils. Phosphorus benefits include teeth and bone health, muscle health and repair, to name but a few, but too much can also have a negative impact on unhealthy kidneys, for example.

Around a quarter of an adult's daily potassium needs can be met by consuming a cup of lentils. Potassium supports nerve function, heart health, and could reduce high blood pressure and the risk of stroke.

Folate is also found in lentils at almost 65 percent of an adult's RDI in one cup, or more than half required during pregnancy. Studies around the health benefits of folate vary, but the general consensus is that it helps in cell growth and repair, and is integral in pregnancy to avoid some birth defects.

Green peas

When we look at green peas, a cup (160g) contains only 116 calories versus 230 in a cup of lentils. So unless you're bulking up, this is a very positive thing as both legumes are rarely eaten alone.

Net carbs in a cup of green peas is almost half (13g) that of a cup of lentils (24g). To offset this, total sugars in green peas is more than double (9.5g) a cup of lentils (3.5g).

I expected to find higher amounts of vitamin K in lentils than green peas as K is often perceived as an elusive vitamin found only in vegetables of an acquired taste. Surprisingly, almost half an adult female's and a third an adult male's RDI is in a cup of green peas, while less than 3 percent is in a cup of lentils. Vitamin K, particularly of the K1 or phylloquinone group, which is the variety found in kale and green peas, may reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and possibly menorrhagia in women.

A cup of green peas can provide over a third of an adult male's vitamin A RDI and around half for an adult female. Vitamin A benefits the eyes, skin, immune system and possibly even bone development, and is often used to improve the overall well-being in patients of numerous diseases. Due to the high amount in various foods and multivitamins, vitamin A in high dosages over a period can be dangerous, for example, to liver health.

Finally, green peas also provide around a quarter to a third of adult vitamin C RDI. Commonly used as a defense against the common cold or flu, vitamin C is said to also have a positive effect on the skin, our immune system generally, and like vitamin A, is used to prevent and treat everyday to terminal illnesses.

Other nutrients are negligible in terms of RDI and content between the two vegetables in question, so is it rather the case that, as non-vegans, we should be eating both regularly? As lentils and green peas each provide their own unique health benefits, consuming one or the other depends on your dietary needs. If you're looking for more food sources of vitamin A, beta carotene or vitamin K deficiencies can be partially addressed with green peas. If it's protein, iron, phosphorus, potassium or folate, add lentils.

More nutritional information can be found at https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list