Pulses (or dals) have long been a staple of the Indian diet. Almost every meal includes pulses. But lately, we find a lot of people have cute down on pulses and turned to processed fast foods. The main reason may be that they are readily and cheaply available. While it is quite well-known that these fast foods are detrimental to the health of the body, even more troublesome is the loss of the myriad benefits that pulses provide. As more and more people get addicted to fast food, they are losing a precious source of nutritional richness and harming their health.
Pulses fall under the category of legumes. These are plants that bear an edible seed inside their pods. Other foods like beans, peas and chickpeas are also a part of this category. As such, pulses carry the nutritional benefits that are found in other legumes but are also special in certain ways due to their extremely low fat content.
Healthy Organic Pulses can be found in many different varieties and they all share its wonderful properties and benefits. To highlight the reasons why you shouldn't choose processed fast foods over pulses, here are a few ways they can benefit your health greatly–
1. Prevent Diabetes
A common standard for measuring which foods are helpful in preventing diabetes is the glycemic index. It represents the effect of a food on blood sugar levels. The foods that are high on the glycemic index typically cause a great spike in blood sugar levels while those that are low on the glycemic index only contribute to a little increase in blood sugar.
Pulses have been demonstrated to be a low on the glycemic index due to the presence of fiber and starch; therefore they are an excellent addition to the diets of those that have a family history of diabetes. Even the people already suffering from diabetes can add pulses to their diets as it will help them manage and regulate their blood sugar levels more effectively and easily.
2. Promote A Healthy Heart
The positive impact of pulses on cardiovascular health originates from the high quantity of fiber that is present in them. This high-fiber content is useful in keeping cholesterol in check and preventing the blockage of arteries that can cause a wide range of health issues.
Moreover, pulses are also rich in potassium. This potassium from pulses counter-balances the effects of sodium in the body and can therefore help to control and regulate blood pressure.
3. Contain High Folate Content
Folate is a kind of B vitamin that boosts the growth and maintenance of new cells. Pulses, being a rich source of folates, are an ideal food for periods of rapid growth, especially during pregnancy and infancy.
In addition to promoting the growth of cells, folates are also known to act against homocysteine. Homocysteine is a protein that, in high concentration, can damage the lining of arteries and encourages the build-up of plaque and blood clots. By consuming pulses and increasing your folate content, you can keep the ill-effects of homocysteine at bay.
4. Keep the Digestive Tract Healthy
We already know that pulses are rich in fiber. But they contain two different kinds of fiber – the soluble one in pulses is good for your heart, but they also contain insoluble fiber which helps in keeping the digestive tract healthy and the bowels clean. Also, pulses are much more filling than processed foods, which ensures that you don’t feel hungry after short intervals and end up overeating.
5. High in Protein
Outside of chicken, meat, fish and dairy products, pulses are the richest source of protein, and most definitely the greatest vegetarian source of proteins. Any vegetarian diet should consist of a healthy quantity of pulses so as to fulfill the body’s protein requirements.
Pulses have long been a staple of our diet and should not be ignored. There are so many varieties of pulses available. So you can always find one that suits your tastes and nutritional needs. Pulses can be consumed by people of all ages and they work their magic on everybody’s health!
To know more about organic pulses, click here.