Lentils are edible seeds that belong to the pulse family. Lentils are a staple food in many countries of Asia and North Africa, either with or without their outer shells. There’s just so much variety in lentils and pulses that it gets overwhelming to choose from. One may buy organic dals online as well. Well, before that, it is important to know about them. Here’s all you need to know about lentils, including their nutritional worth, advantages, and how to utilize them in cooking.
What Are Lentils?
Lentils were one of the first legumes to be farmed, so it’s no surprise that they’ve become a vital component of our diet. They provide a lot of fiber and protein to our meals. They do not need to soak overnight before cooking. Lentils are highly convenient and inexpensive, making them a popular source of high-quality protein.
Lentils are commonly distinguished by their color, which ranges from red to green to yellow to brown to black. Each type of lentil is entirely made up of phytochemicals and antioxidants.
We often call the – dal. There are various kinds of dals, the best one is organic dal. No, it’s not a type of dal, it is just the fact that organic dal comes from organic farming and consists of all the essential nutrients which may be missing otherwise. They can buy lentils online, when they search for organic dals online they will find the same.
What Are Pulses?
First and foremost. Chickpeas, lentils, dry peas, and beans are all members of the ‘pulses’ family of foods. Pulses are technically the edible seeds of a legume plant that are picked dry. Pulses are distinct from other legumes in that they have distinct health benefits; for example, unlike peanuts and soy, pulses are low in fat and high in protein and fiber.
Just like lentils, one can easily buy organic pulses online, when they buy pulses online they should have a close look at whether it is organic or not. One gets a huge difference in quality when they buy organic pulses online vs when they buy pulses online.
Nutritional Facts of Lentils
The nutritious significance of lentils is frequently overlooked. They do include a lot of vitamin B complex, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. Lentils contain roughly 25% protein, making them an excellent meat substitute. They are a good source of iron, which is commonly lacking in vegetarian diets.
Benefits of lentils and pulses
1. Digestive and gut health
Fiber functions as a bulking agent in the digestive tract and induces a sense of fullness. Lentils are high in fibre, which aids with digestion and weight loss. They include insoluble dietary fibre, which aids in the prevention of constipation and other digestive diseases like as irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.
2. Antioxidant properties
Lentils are high in polyphenols, which are beneficial to the body. These are phytochemicals that contribute to well health. Polyphenols have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects, similar to flavonoids and other bioactive substances.
3. Stabilised blood sugar levels
Lentils contain fibre, which slows digestion and helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. Incorporating them into your diet on a regular basis will help reduce blood sugar levels in diabetes, hypoglycemia, and insulin resistance, which is common in PCOS.
4. Healthy heart
Consuming lentils on a regular basis lowers your overall risk of heart disease because they are known to lower blood pressure. Furthermore, the proteins in lentils interfere with the chemical angiotensin i-converting enzyme (ACE), which causes blood vessel narrowing and an increase in blood pressure.
As lentils are known to be high in folate, they prevent excessive homocysteine buildup (a common amino acid in our blood). Obesity increases your chances of developing heart disease. They are also highly filling, so you eat less and your blood sugar levels remain stable.
5. Great protein source
Lentils are a good source of protein for vegetarians and vegans because they contain roughly 25% protein. It includes all of the essential amino acids but lacks methionine and tryptophan. When combined with whole grains, they provide a comprehensive spectrum of necessary amino acids.
Here is a quick recipe of masoor organic dal which one can make easily at their home.
Recipe of masoor dal
- Soak the lentils for 15 minutes after carefully washing them. In a pressure cooker, combine the lentils, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a pinch of turmeric, and 500ml water. Cook for 3-4 whistles.
- Heat the oil in a wok. Then stir in the heeng and cumin. Cook chopped onions till golden brown. Cook until the oil leaves the mixture, then add the ginger, garlic paste, other spices, and diced tomatoes.
- Pour the boiling dal into the wok and toss well. Pour the dal into a serving dish.
- Ghee, dry red chiles, and jeera are used to season. Pour it on top of the dal.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
Bottom Line
It is essential that one looks for organic dals online because they have so many nutritional benefits over regular ones. Organic dal is good for health and dal being the staple diet in India it is so much more important to buy organic pulses online than buying the regular ones. This is because vegetarians do not have many sources of proteins and dal being the major source of protein it is important to buy lentils online and buy pulses online which are organic.
