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Poor man's meat
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The humble daily dal is a vital source of protein
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There's great value in sprouts, which can be eaten raw as well as steamed. — Photo: A Shaik Mohideen
LEGUMES SUCH as lentils, beans and peas are called the poor man's meat, and for good reason. In a country like ours where even those who eat meat do so only a few times a month, the daily dal is a vital source of protein. Without legumes, vegetarianism simply would not be a viable option for human beings.
The human body doesn't need much protein to keep it going every day: about 1 gm for every kg of body weight will do. But it is very particular about the quality of protein. It must have 10 essential amino acids in the daily diet, and it is their presence or absence, rather than the amount of protein in grams, that defines what constitutes good protein.
Legumes, on the face of it, are inferior to meat — a complete protein — because they contain less protein per 100 gm and are deficient in methionine, an essential amino acid. Soy protein is an exception among vegetable proteins because it contains all the essential amino acids.
Nourishing legumes
But even if you aren't eating soy everyday, eating legumes can be as healthful and nourishing as meat. Make up for the deficient amino acids by complementing them with non-legume foods that have them and legumes are more healthful than meat. This is because they are also low in cholesterol and saturated fats, and they are rich in antioxidants that may prevent cancer and heart disease by counteracting the oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
The way to get around methionine deficiency in legumes is to eat them as a side dish with cereals: dal-chawal and dal-roti are staple foods for this reason. It is not necessary that the protein and cereal be eaten together in the same meal, but it is important that each day's meals contain an aggregate of the daily protein requirement because the body cannot store excess protein to make up for protein-less days.
Bodybuilders need more protein, obviously, but even they don't need more than 1.5 gm of protein per kg body weight. Apart from being rich in protein and low in fat, legumes contain iron, potassium, magnesium and folate. The high fibre content of fresh beans can lower blood cholesterol levels and help prevent constipation. Some nuts are actually legumes-peanuts, for example, and they are rich in protein, fibre, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, niacin and folate. They are rich in fat too, but it is mostly the healthful, polyunsaturated kind.
RAJIV M.
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