Daily Nutrition Pulses

Urad (Black Matpe)

Vigna mungo, the black gram or urad bean s a bean cultivated from ancient times and is one of the most highly prized pulses of India. Ayurveda describes black gram or Masha as a bean that is sweet to taste but hot in potency, that can calm down and regularize the imbalances caused due to Vata. his crop is extensively grown in southern part of India, northern part of Bangladesh and Nepal. Black gram has also been introduced to other tropical areas such as the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, Myanmar and Africa. India is the world's largest producer as well as consumer of blackgram.

Vigna mungo is popular in India, largely used to make dal from the whole or split and dehusked seeds. The bean is boiled and eaten whole or, after splitting, made into dal; prepared like this it has an unusual mucilaginous texture. It is also extensively used in Indian culinary preparations such as  Medu vada, idli, dosa, ladoos, Kachoris, pakodas etc.Black gram contains high levels of protein, potassium, calcium, iron, niacin, Thiamine, and riboflavin. Urad dal is in fact, the only pulse that has more than 10 times of phosphorous than any other pulse and the unique type of protein present in black grams strengthen muscle fibers.

Moong Beans

The Mung bean is a plant species in the legume family. The mung bean was domesticated in India, where its progenitor (Vigna radiata subspecies sublobata) occurs wild. Areas with early finds include the eastern zone of the Harappan Civilisation. Cultivated mung beans later spread from India to China and Southeast Asia. Mung bean has a large market in Asia (India, Southeast-Asia and East Asia) and is also consumed in Southern Europe and in the Southern USA. India accounts for around 60% of the total global moong production.

The mature mooong seeds provide an invaluable source of digestible protein for humans in places where meat is lacking. In southern Chinese cuisine, whole mung beans are used to make a tángshuǐ, or Hong Kong, hulled mung beans and mung bean paste are made into ice cream. Mung bean paste is used as a common filling for Chinese mooncakes in East China, in Indian Kachori and  hopia (or bakpia) popular in Indonesia the Philippines, ginisáng monggó/mónggo is a savoury stew of whole mung beans with prawns or fish. Mung bean sprouts are used in salads, stir-fried, filling in Vietnamese spring rolls, garnish for phở,  char kway teow, hokkien mee, mee rebus, and pasembo,  lumpiang togue.Sprouted mung beans contain fewer calories but have more antioxidants and amino acids.

Masur (Lentil)

The lentil is an edible legume. It is an annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. In cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, where lentils are a staple, split lentils (often with their hulls removed) known as daal are often cooked into a thick curry/gravy that is usually eaten with rice or rotis.The oldest known carbonized remains of lentil from Greeces Franchthi Cave are dated to 11,000 BC. Canada with  and India with are the two leading producers of the world.

Lentils are used worldwide in many different dishes.  Indian subcontinent, Fiji, Mauritius, Singapore and the Caribbean, lentil curry is part of the everyday diet, eaten with both rice and roti. They are also used as stuffing in dal parathas and puri for breakfast or snacks.  In Iran, rice and lentil is served with fried raisin; this dish is called adas polo.Masoor dal is a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, fibres, vitamins, and other micronutrients such as Iron, Selenium, Folate,Thiamin and Riboflavin.

Pigeon pea ( Tur or Arhar)

The pigeon pea is a perennial legume from the family Fabaceae. pigeon pea are native to India and the latter West Africa. Pigeon pea is a crop resilient to climate changeThe cultivation of Tur or Arhar had been started by 2,800 BCE in peninsular India. Seeds of pigeon pea is also found Egyptian tombs dating back to around 2,200 BCE. About 70% of world production of pigeon pea this production comes from India.

Pigeon peas can be simmered, sautéed, steamed and fried (Dal). Cooked peas can be added to soups, stews, curries, sauces, salads and rice preparations. Pigeon peas contain high levels of protein and the important amino acids methionine, lysine, and tryptophan. Due to its high digestible percentage of protein and carbohydrates, it makes a significant contribution to meeting the nutritional needs of large population.

Chickpeas

The name chickpea comes from the Latin word cicer, referring to the plant family of legumes, Fabaceae. Its different types are variously known as gram or Bengal gram, garbanzoor garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea. chickpeas have been found at Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (9900-9550 BP) sites in Turkey and the Levant. It is one of the earliest cultivated legumes, and 9500-year-old remains have been found in the Middle East. India is responsible for 70% of global chickpea production.

Raw chickpeas have a lower trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor content than peas, common beans, and soybeans. Many countries served with variety of breads or steamed rice. If soaked for 12-24 hours before cooking, induces chemical modification of protein-fibre complexes, which leads to an increase in crude fiber content also cooking time is shortened. Mature chickpeas can be roasted, spiced, and eaten as a snack, cooked and eaten cold in salads, stews, ground and shaped in balls and fried as falafel, made into a batter and baked to make farinata or cecina, used in Burmese tofu, or fried to make panelle. Chickpea flour is known as besan in South Asia, as well as in the Levant is used as a batter to coat vegetables before deep frying to make pakoras. Chickpeas are a nutrient-dense food, providing rich content protein, dietary fiber, folate, and certain dietary minerals. Germinated chickpeas are rich in essential amino acids such as lysine, isoleucine, tryptophan, and total aromatic amino acids. Raw chickpeas to promote egg production and growth of birds and pigs.