If we asked you what's the one thing that you eat daily, what would you say first? Perhaps, all kinds of pulses would come to your mind. Pulses are an indispensable part of our cuisine. We use it to make dals, put it in certain sabzis, make vadas or pakodas, and whatnot. So, this one small grain is always present on our plates in all kinds of forms. And as much as we love to have a variety of pulses, did you know that there is a right way to soak and eat pulses? Yes, you heard us right. Recently, celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar took to Instagram and explained the three golden rules of having pulses.
(Also Read: How To Store Pulses: 5 Easy Tips To Keep The Bugs Away)
In her post, she explained the right way to have pulses. She mentions three steps for the same. First, she says, "Soak and sprout before cooking." In this step, she explains, "Soaking and sprouting them before cooking reduces the anti-nutrients and allows for optimum enzyme action to break them down. Pulses are a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals, but it's not quite easy to assimilate the amino acids from them. They naturally contain what is called anti-nutrients, molecules that come in the way of nutrient assimilation. That's why so many people have acidity, bloating, indigestion etc., on eating them. And so, your dadi devised this method to reduce the anti-nutrients and enhance the protein, micro-nutrient and digestibility of pulses and legumes."
Second, she added the right ratio of using pulses and grains, which was 1:3 for pulses and grains and for pulses and millets, it was 1:2. For this, she elucidates that to improve their essential to non-essential amino acid ratio, one should combine them with millets and grains. When using it with rice, the ratio is 1:3; when using it with a mixture of millets and grains, the ratio is 1:2.
This is because pulses and legumes are deficient in methionine, while grains are low in lysine. Although lysine is abundant in pulses, it cannot fully perform its functions without complementing other amino acids, such as methionine.
(Also Read: World Pulses Day: Celebrity Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar Shares Her Mother's Metkut Recipe On The Special Occasion)
Lastly, she tells one should have at least five types of pulses/legumes every week and in 5 different forms every month. She said that "having a wide variety of pulses and having them in various forms will optimise the intake of all nutrients. India has more than 65000 varieties of pulses and legumes. When eaten in different ways, a wide variety of pulses (at least five different types in a week as dal, papad, pickle, idli, dosa, laddoo, halwa, etc.) ensures that we get the diet diversity needed for healthy gut bacteria." Take a look at her post here:
So, keep these three rules in your mind while cooking with pulses next time!