We have been living with pulses for a long time, and they are the most widely used food around the world. With such a wide variety of pulses around, they have a special nutritional importance. The health benefits of pulses have been proven due to their content of protein, fiber, and all the vital vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, folic acid, and magnesium.
The typical Indian diet includes pulses, grains, and vegetables, making it a well-balanced diet. Pulses offer the most nutrition with this diet. To get the best health benefits of pulses, you can just start actively adding more of them to your diet. Pulses such as lentils, black beans, beans, and chickpeas have many benefits. A healthy body and a happier mind are just some of the health benefits of pulses.
Pulses refer to the dry, edible seeds in the pod. They belong to the legume family (legumes are plants that usually grow in pods). Pulses include beans, lentils, peas, and other seeds found in beans or lentils.
1. Pulses are a great source of vitamins and minerals
By consuming pulses and dals daily, you can get your required share of essential vitamins and minerals. Pulses are a great source of fiber, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium and folate. It is also rich in vitamin B, thiamine and niacin. Our body needs these vitamins and minerals to function efficiently.
2. Pulses are a rich source of proteins
Pulses are rich in amino acids, which makes them a rich source of proteins. Proteins play a vital role in enhancing our body’s overall strength and improving its ability to repair and maintain. Thus, if you do a lot of physical activity daily, then adding pulses to your diet can be very beneficial. You can also combine dairy products, grains, and nuts in your meal to ensure the optimal dose of proteins in your body.
3. Pulses have antioxidant effects
Legumes, beans, and lentils are abundant in polyphenols, which make them good antioxidants. Antioxidants are essential for protecting the body’s cells from free radicals that are produced as a by-product during the metabolism process. In the absence of antioxidants, your body may become susceptible to ill health. This makes the consumption of lentils and pulses more important.
4. Pulses are good for the heart
One of the most important health benefits of beans and pulses is keeping your heart in good shape. Consumption of pulses reduces the level of cholesterol in the body and thus helps improve the health of your heart. Pulses are also high in potassium and low in sodium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
5. Pulses reduce the risk of diabetes
Pulses and legumes are ranked lower on the glycemic index, which means that they cause a slight spike in your blood sugar level. Therefore, people who regularly consume pulses may have a lower chance of developing diabetes. And in case you already have diabetes, you can add pulses to your daily diet to regulate your blood sugar level.
6. Pulses are a good source of folic acid
Legumes, beans and lentils are a rich source of folic acid because they contain vitamin B, which helps in the production of new cells. Hence, eating pulses can be very beneficial during phases of rapid growth, such as lactation and pregnancy. Hence, growing children and pregnant women should include a fair amount of pulses in their daily diet.
7. Pulses may reduce the risk of cancer
As mentioned earlier, pulses, beans, and lentils act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, which lowers the risk of cancer. Lentils also contain an element known as selenium, which reduces the rate of tumor growth. They also boost immunity and stimulate the production of T-cells, which helps fight diseases.
Pulses protein is high in lysine and low in sulfur-containing amino acids. Cereal protein is low in lysine but high in sulfur-containing amino acids. Their combination provides a higher protein quality. This means that the body requires less protein to meet its protein needs, which improves nutrition, especially in low-income communities, where the availability of other protein sources such as animal protein is limited. The mixture also contributes to a balanced diet.