The Role of Legumes in the Sustainable Mediterranean Diet: Analysis of the Consumption of Legumes in the Mediterranean Population over the Last Ten Years a PRISMA Statement Methodology

Abstract

The Mediterranean model, introduced by Ancel Keys, has gained significant importance from the perspective of sustainability. This is why the Mediterranean diet is now called a sustainable diet. This study focuses on legumes, protein-rich foods of vegetable origin, cultivated in the area, as their production and use in cooking are highly sustainable. The analysis covers their consumption over the last 10 years in the entire Mediterranean area, looking specifically at Spain. The objectives of this work are to analyze the production of legumes in the Mediterranean area, taking into account the fact that they are an important environmental as well as food resource, and to analyze how the consumption of legumes has changed in certain countries bordering the Mediterranean in relation to social and cultural changes, with particular attention to the pandemic. The study shows how, in Spain, since 2020, the consumption of legumes has increased, demonstrating that in emergency situations, different dietary choices are made. In addition, it shows how legumes are an excellent source of vegetable protein and an important environmental resource from the perspective of sustainability.