The biggest differences between pulse flour and wheat flour are protein content, fibre, gluten, and functional behaviour in dough.

• Protein: Whole-grain wheat flour contains roughly 12–15% protein, while pulse flours contain 20–30% depending on the pulse — chickpea (~20–22%), red lentil (~24–28%), yellow lentil (~25–28%), and fava bean (~26–30%).
• Fibre: Most pulse flours have 2–3× the fibre of refined wheat flour, with significant amounts of resistant starch.
• Gluten: Pulse flours contain no gluten. They cannot replace wheat 1:1 in elastic-dough applications like bread without reformulation, but they perform well in batters, crackers, pasta, gluten-free baking, and protein-fortified bakery.
• Amino acid profile: Wheat is deficient in lysine; pulses are rich in lysine but lower in sulfur amino acids. Blending the two creates a more complete protein than either flour alone.
• Glycemic response: Pulse flours generally have a lower glycemic index than refined wheat flour, owing to higher fibre and slowly digestible starch.

For food manufacturers, the practical takeaway is that pulse flours are typically used to fortify or partially replace wheat flour to lift protein and fibre — not as a like-for-like substitute.