• Legumes and Digestion

• Legumes - properties and uses

• Types of legumes

• Should you include legumes in your diet?

Legumes have been used by mankind since the beginning of time. Recently, due to the growing popularity of plant-based diets and the desire to reduce meat consumption, legumes are making a big comeback. We rediscover them. Our grandmothers mainly used peas, kidney beans and field beans that grew nearby. Today we have access to legumes of all colors, shapes, textures and flavors. We use it to bake cakes, prepare dumpling fillings, enrich salads with it and process it into spreads. Traditional, plant-based or flexi diet - enriched with legumes only wins. What's worth knowing about legumes? Find out in this article.

Legumes and Digestion

It is not without reason that legumes are considered difficult to digest and flatulent products. This is indeed the case, and the gas-forming oligosaccharides it contains are responsible for this. Fortunately, the effects of these sugars can be offset by careful preparation of the pods for consumption. First of all, before cooking, legumes must be thoroughly soaked in soft water with a little salt. Not all pods are the same, so each plant should be treated very individually. For example, soaking time for red lentils is up to half an hour (some people skip this step entirely), while white beans take at least a day. During this time, it is worth changing the water at least once or doing it just before lighting the beans. Cook the pods under a lid in a little liquid (just a few centimeters above the seed surface) and save any salt at the very end. To further counteract bloating, use spices when cooking: cumin, coriander, fresh ginger, cumin, savory or thyme. The addition of kombu, i.e. seaweed, can also be beneficial.

Zero Waste Tip: You can Use liquid from cooked pods (known as aquafaba) as a base for sauces and soups, or go one step further and make vegan mayonnaise or crunchy meringue.

­Legumes - properties and uses

Lentils, whether red, brown, green, black or yellow, are among the most digestible plant proteins. It has a low glycemic index, contains 116 kcal in 100 grams, is rich in folic acid (especially needed by pregnant women), iron and potassium, thanks to which it can prevent anemia and support its treatment. It provides a feeling of satiety and, thanks to the content of B vitamins, supports the proper functioning of the nervous system. Lentils can be used to make soups, pies, stuffings or chops, and they are also used to make flour, which is an alternative for people with celiac disease.

­Types of legumes

Chickpeas are quite caloric as they contain 164 kcal in 100g, but they have so many benefits that it's not worth worrying about. The compounds contained in it allow you to cleanse the body of excess sodium and reduce “bad” cholesterol and prevent anemia, since chickpeas, like lentils, are an excellent source of folic acid and potassium, and the low glycemic index makes them suitable for diabetics . Just like lentils, it can be used to prepare a flour very popular with vegans, particularly useful in the preparation of breadcrumbs. Chickpeas are also used to make falafel and the famous hummus.

beans - Mung , jaś , pinto , red and black are just a few examples of this extraordinary plant. It is impossible to enumerate all the species grown around the world. These pods differ in shape, color, composition and calorie content, so their properties should be examined separately, but they have in common, for example, high levels of potassium, calcium and phosphorus and the fact that they do not contain sodium thanks to the thiamine content They can improve concentration and memory and have an antidepressant effect. Beans can be used as an ingredient in pastes, stews, salads or soups.

broad beans are low in calories (only 74 kcal in 100 g), but people with diabetes should pay attention to this. It has a high glycemic index, twice that when cooked. Luckily, it can also be eaten raw, especially in season when it's young and resilient. When cooked, it loses many minerals and vitamins, most of which are in the skin. You can eat it straight from the bowl, add it to pasta, or make a paste for sandwiches.

peanuts or so-called peanuts are legumes that grow underground. We know them mostly in the form of salty snacks and peanut butter, but not everyone knows how beneficial their consumption is for our bodies. It is worth including them in our diet simply because of the high content of minerals such as zinc and magnesium as well as vitamins E and B3. There's no denying that they're quite caloric, but they're low on the glycemic index. Remember to choose with no added salt and sugar if possible.

Military Although quite controversial, it is valued as a highly nutritious product (rich in healthy unsaturated fats, making it quite caloric) and with many uses. Soy is used to make most of the popular substitutes for meat and animal products—tofu, tempeh, soy “dairy” and its fermented grains make an irreplaceable soy sauce.

Should you include legumes in your diet?

Peas, green beans, Indian nickel... The world of legumes is extremely rich and varied. Let's remember that, despite these wonderful properties, legumes are not the source of everything the body needs. To create a full meal, legumes should be combined with grains, nuts and green vegetables. They clearly have a positive effect on our health and well-being, so it is worth getting acquainted with them. ATTENTION! People suffering from gout, liver and gastrointestinal diseases should consult a doctor first or… just avoid them. However, if there are contraindications - grab the pods!