Think of legumes, pulses, and beans in a hierarchy: legumes are the umbrella term, with pulses directly underneath. Beans fall under both of these – beans are legumes and pulses. Legumes include all types and forms of beans and peas that come from the Fabaceae (or Leguminosae) botanical family. In other words, legumes are the umbrella family that all beans, peas, and pulses fall under, and include thousands of varieties grown around the world. Although used interchangeably, the terms legumes, pulses and beans have distinct meanings. A legume refers to any plant from the Fabaceae family that would include its leaves, stems and pods. A pulse is the edible seed from a legume plant. Pulses include beans, lentils and peas. For example, a pea pod is a legume but the pea inside the pod is the pulse. Beans in their various forms are just one type of pulse. Examples are kidney, fava, adzuki and pinto beans, chickpeas..etc.)
Steps to prepare legumes or beans in a way that optimizes your nutritious values:
1/Inspection: Spread your dry legumes on a baking sheet and inspect them for quality and debris. Toss the broken, shriveled or damaged ones and remove any pebbles or rubbish that could have made their way into the lot. Then, transfer to a sieve and rinse thoroughly in cold water. 2/ Rinse and Soak: Wash your beans and then soak. I consider soaking a crucial step in making beans and legumes cook well. The majority of them can be soaked. The idea behind soaking beans: -It makes the beans cook faster. -It breaks down some of the complex sugars that make them hard to digest. -It helps remove some of the small fermentable carbohydrates (raffinose and stachyose) which may act as a reason behind intestinal gas. -It helps furnish a push start to the process of neutralising the harmful substances such as lectins and protease inhibitors 3/ Change Water and Wash: Make sure you check on them after you have soaked them with an hour or two, they would have doubles in size. Wash and add fresh water to continue the soaking process. I usually add a couple of cloves to the soaking water when I cannot have filtered or fresh water from sources that I cannot trust. Generally, cloves have antibacterial properties and clove water has amazing benefits. Soak them anytime between 6 hours to overnight. Strain, rinse and discard the water before cooking. I usually change the water from 2 to 3 times throughout soaking and until cooking. I boil the water first; add the beans, ¼ tsp of bicarbonate soda. Depending on the type of the bean and soaking time, it will cook in 10 to 30 minutes max. 4/ Cook: Cooking makes legumes tender and more palatable. But even more importantly, it’s an essential step in completely neutralising harmful substances such as lectins and protease inhibitors that naturally occur in legumes, making them easier to digest. Get rid of the foam regularly, until clear. If legumes are consumed raw (even after soaking), these substances could interfere with digestion and cause pain and discomfort. Cook all types of legumes until they are thoroughly tender. To test for doneness, squish one between your fingers: The Centre should not be chalky. Strain and serve to preference.
What makes them so nutritious for your body? . Very high in protein · High in folate · High in fibre (soluble and insoluble) · High in iron · High in phosphorus · High in poly-unsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids including linoleic and oleic acids · They have a low glycaemic index · Are great substitutes for animal protein for those who do not include it in their diet · Can blend easily with many meals, salads, as soups..etc. · When eaten as part of a plant rich balanced diet, they help prevent various chronic diseases. · They are a vital part of a balanced diet that is focused on nutrient optimisation, self-care and a dedication to holistic wellness lifestyles.
A lot of people complain about beans and legumes as causing stomach pain or discomfort. It is usually the first go to on the list of elimination for those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. While it is mainly about the way we prepare and cook our food, our relationship with food and the emotions that surround our eating motivations and actual eating times and ecosystem. #TheHoopoeHouse #affirmations #manifestations #visualisation #abundance #theuniversehasyourback #gratitudecircle #magic #wellbeing #settingintentions #highervibration #cleansedenergy #joy #holistichealth #collectiveconsciousness #FinancialAbundamce #spiritualawakening #integrativenutrition #love #fun #art #spirituality #divineinnerglow #iinalumni #poetry #Storytelling #joy #innermagic #mindfulness #legumes #beans #pulses #healthycooking