Pulses are the dried edible seeds of legumes. Legumes are plants that grow in pods, like beans. Common pulses include dry peas, dry beans, chickpeas and lentils. For a legume to be considered a pulse, it must be dried. This means fresh peas and beans are not pulses, but dry peas and beans are. Read "The Story of Food: Pulses" to learn more about this amazing legume!