Different Types of Pulses/Lentils

Pulses, meaning Dals in Hindi comes in different types, each having their own advantages (and disadvantages). The special properties of Dals make it a staple diet across the Indian sub-continent. The most common food combination is Rice & Dal or Chapatti & Dal.

Pulses, meaning Dals in Hindi comes in different types, each having their own advantages (and disadvantages). The special properties of Dals make it a staple diet across the Indian sub-continent. The most common food combination is Rice & Dal or Chapatti & Dal.

Moong Dal – It is the most common Dal found in our homes, they are yellow in color but only after they have been skinned from the original green color. Both are eatable, in fact the greener one has more vitamins. Easy to cook & digest, it has rich iron & potassium content.

Arhar/Tur Dal – A beige lentil with yellow insides, chances are this is pigeon pea. It’s the most popular Dal in India. It has huge fiber components that help in bowel movements.

Chana Dal – Also called split Bengal gram, it has a nutty flavor. Its adaptability makes it easy to cook with varieties of vegetables. If diabetes bites you, this will bite diabetes with rich minerals like copper & manganese.

Masoor Dal – Also Known as red lentils, it comes in two varieties: black (non-split) and red (split). It does not need soaking before cooking as it’s very soft. A Masoor Dal recipe with butter-top garnish & Chapatti is a delicious & healthy meal to eat.

Urad Dal – Having the richest concentration of proteins & Vitamin B, it has two variants: white (husked) and black. It is served well with Naans. The creamy white version has a milder flavor than its black counterpart.

Lobiya Dal – Cowpea as it is known in English is black-eyed peas due to a black colored dot at its center. It’s rich in proteins & zinc. They are famous for making curries, papads, fritter etc.

Matar – This is a whole dried pea which is a prominent ingredient in many Indian street foods like Chaat, Sevpuri etc. It has a mouth-watering taste with the right combination of products.

Kidney Beans – Kidney shaped with strong earthy flavor & a silky texture it’s eaten as a curry. The famous Rajma Chawal comes to mind, doesn’t it? Don’t forget to pre-soak and boil for 30 minutes to ensure a safe diet.

Chickpeas – This is of three variants: Chana (brown), Chhole (white), Cholia (green).

It is consumed post boiling after which it becomes soft as ever. It can be eaten as an evening snack with a garnish of onions, chilies, tomatoes, fresh coriander and lemons which taste as well as smell delicious! Also, one can enjoy Chhole Chawal (Rice & Chhole curry).

Hope this has helped you differentiate & understand the different types of Pulses. Stay tuned to get more updates & learn about this staple and special (for us Indians) diet.

 

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Cancer Prevention, Boosting Immunity & More With Brown Rice

Our Blogger/ Writer has mentioned brown rice in several blog posts/ articles, including the one on the process of rice milling, published on EzineArticles.com . Brown rice is produced as a result of husking/ de-hulling stage of paddy milling, where the tough outer coating of rice grains, the husk is stripped off using friction.

Our Blogger/ Writer has mentioned brown rice in several blog posts/ articles, including the one on the process of rice milling, published on EzineArticles.com . Brown rice are produced as a result of husking/ de-hulling stage of paddy milling, where the tough outer coating of rice grains, the husk is stripped off using friction.


  A lot has been talked about brown rice, including the fact that it is very healthy. But what exactly are these health benefits of brown rice? Let’s discuss them in this blog post.

  1. Consuming white rice means giving up on 100% of fibre & essential fatty acids, 90% of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), 80% of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), 67% of Vitamin B3 (Niacin) , 60% of iron and 50% of phosphorus and manganese each.
  2. You’ll be surprised, but brown rice even fights cancer! The high amount of dietary fibre in brown rice clings to the cancer-causing chemicals in the body, and eliminates them, thus reducing the risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, as per the 2012 stats by the World Cancer Research Fund International.
  3. Replacing polished white rice with brown rice reduces your risk of developing diabetes by 16%. Consuming half a cup of brown rice every day may reduce your risk of developing diabetes by 60%. The reason brown rice stabilizes blood sugar is because it releases sugar slowly, unlike its white counterpart.
  4. When people think of antioxidants, they usually think of berries, fresh fruits and red wine. Not many know that brown rice is high in antioxidants too. Antioxidants prevent cancer.
  5. Selenium is a mineral that is required for good immunity and fertility in both men and women. Liver of lamb, oysters and tuna are good sources, but for vegetarians, brown rice is one of the best ones. Selenium prevents cancer, heart disease and arthritis.

    To be continued…