All legumes used for human consumption belong to the dicotyledonous family. They have a lot in common in appearance. Their growing conditions are also similar. Cereal legumes (moth) plants are cultivated to produce seeds with a high protein content. Beans have been considered valuable human food since ancient times.
What nutrients do beans contain?
Legume dishes are very satisfying due to their high vegetable protein content. In religious fasts they are still used as a substitute for animal meat. Thanks to the ease of cultivation, legumes have saved common people from hunger for centuries. Today they remain an irreplaceable food in the human diet.
What are the beneficial substances in legumes:
· Proteins with amino acids essential for building human cells;
· Vitamins and microelements important for humans;
Pectin (adhesive).
And also beans contain a large amount of fiber.
Beans in the diet
Many nutritionists today recommend consuming beans as a source of healthy food.
1. For example, regular consumption of legumes strengthens the nervous system. After all, they contain essential amino acids that are needed to build nerve cells.
2. Many legumes are recommended in moderation for diabetics.
3. It is useful to eat bean dishes and allergy sufferers, because pectin and fiber cleanse the intestines, improve its microflora.
4. With the systematic consumption of legumes, blood sugar and cholesterol levels remain normal. Plant glue (pectin) removes bad cholesterol from the human body.
5. Bean sprouts rejuvenate the human body, thanks to the manganese they contain.
Common legumes eaten in the CIS countries
Peas
This is the most popular legume product. It contains vegetable protein, carbohydrates. Peas are rich in vitamins B1, B6, C. It contains almost no fat, but its fiber content is very high. Common peas in our opinion have a very rich composition of trace elements and mineral salts.
Green fresh peas are especially useful. The calorie content of young, green peas is only 30 kcal. It is more saturated with vitamins and minerals.
Peas are rich in antioxidants that prevent the development of cancer in the body. Antioxidants stimulate the processes of renewing old cells with new ones. Young green peas are diuretic. It removes excess water from the body.
But dried peas also contain many useful and nutritious elements. The calorie content of this type of pea per 100 grams is about 300 kcal.
Dry soaked peas are recommended for ulcers, especially in the form of mashed potatoes. It reduces the acidity of gastric juice.
How to cook dry peas
Before preparing pea dishes, it is soaked for one or two hours. Then the water in which the beans were soaked is drained. Peas are boiled for about an hour.
Common beans
Beans are also rich in pectin, vitamins, starch. Beans contain many useful elements, especially important: iodine, iron, potassium, sulfur and calcium.
Common beans can be of various colors: black, burgundy, white. It is sold and stored at home dry. A substance, arginine, which is found in beans, participates in nitrogen exchange processes in our body. This allows you to normalize sugar in the body in diabetics.
Beans contain up to 300 kcal per 100 grams of product. But the proteins in this product are easy to digest. This is why beans are often consumed by vegetarians.
Dry beans contain substances that are poorly digested by the human body. Therefore, you need to know how to cook it correctly.
How to cook beans properly. Before use, it is soaked for about four hours. Then the water in which the beans were soaked is drained. Thus, harmful substances are removed from them and their cooking time is reduced. Then the beans are boiled until soft.
Natural soy
The composition of soybeans is also rich in proteins, fiber.
It is very useful for the body of mature women. But natural soybeans are hard to come by. Soy is rich in phytoestrogens, which replace natural hormones in a woman's body. It also contains a lot of calcium and prevents the development of osteoporosis. If soy beans are taken constantly, then they relieve the unpleasant manifestations of menopause.
Soy is a high-calorie food. The calorie content in 100 grams of the substance is 400 kcal.
Soy can be found in various dietary supplements for women, namely: "Estrovel", "Bonisan".
Lentils
Lentils contain fiber, starch, protein. It contains vitamins of group B, A, E. It is also rich in minerals: selenium, potassium, boron, copper. It also contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
The calorie content of dry lentils is 119 kcal per 100 grams.
Lentils, like beans, have different colors.
1. Red lentils are good for anemia. It contains a lot of iron and potassium.
2. Green - improves digestion in case of stomach ulcers, cholecystitis.
3. Black is the most expensive. Its value is compared to black caviar. It has high antioxidant activity, therefore it inhibits the aging process.
How to cook lentils properly? Lentils, unlike other legumes, do not need to be soaked before cooking. It boils down quickly. The beans are washed in multiple waters. Lentils are cooked for about 20 minutes.
Lentil Stew with Vegetables Recipe
This dish is delicious, despite the simplicity of its preparation.
1. Pour twice as much water into a saucepan. Than beans. Bring it to a boil.
2. Pour lentils into boiling water.
3. Salt the dish to taste five minutes before cooking.
4. Saute the onions and carrots and add to the stewed lentils.
5. Darken the dish for a few more minutes.
Contraindications to legumes
Despite the fact that legumes are considered a dietary product, they are not recommended for people with impaired salt metabolism in the body, namely for patients with:
Gout;
· Rheumatism;
· Arthritis.
Urolithiasis.
