They come in various colours, shapes and sizes, and they start life within pods, before being harvested as edible nuggets. They are practically indestructible if properly dried and stored. They have been a staple food in the human diet since earliest times.
They are pulses: beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas. And this year they've been given special recognition by the UN General Assembly, which has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Having a year dedicated to them is an honour they share with rice, which was given this status in 2004, the potato, honoured in 2008, and quinoa, in 2013.
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