Why It’s Important to Always Have Pulses a Part of Your Diet

Don’t we all strive to include vitamins and minerals in our diets? But do we get enough of the essential nutrients? Not really. People mostly focus on food’s taste more than what their body requires. For example, in some parts of our country, people mostly end up consuming rice while in others, people love chapatis. Some people prioritise salad and green leafy vegetables in their daily diets as sources of nutrition.

But do you know the most important thing on your food plate? According to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, different types of food are available in different states in India, and people have different food habits. Rice, for example, is popular in Bengal and Bihar, whereas wheat bread is popular in North India. Apart from this, it also depends on the body and work of the people and how many calories they need throughout the day. Suppose a person needs 1400 calories daily while someone’s work goes on with 300-400.

Doctors revealed that the most important thing is a wholesome food plate regardless of one’s eating habits. If you eat green leafy vegetables, salads, and other foods daily but do not consume pulses, your diet is incomplete.

Rice, wheat and coarse grains such as jowar, bajra, barley, ragi, and so on are all included in our diet, but they are incomplete without the addition of pulses. We cannot get all of the amino acids from food unless we include a bowl of pulses in our daily diet. Cereals contain no lysine, whereas pulses contain it and pulses must be consumed alongside cereals or millets to complete the amino acid chain. Only then are the proteins derived from amino acids available to the body and complete food.

Benefits of pulses:

Pulses in your daily diet can provide all of the essential vitamins and minerals. Pulses are high in protein and fiber, as well as calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, and folate, all of which we require to perform daily tasks efficiently.

Pulses are a high-protein source and it helps our bodies maintain stability and power. Thus, if you engage in a lot of physical activity, pulses are beneficial to your health.

Pulses are excellent antioxidants because of their high polyphenol content. Antioxidants are essential for your body because they protect your cells from free radicals, which are a byproduct of metabolic activity.

A healthy heart is one of the major health benefits of pulses. Different types of pulses may help lower your body’s cholesterol levels, improving heart health.

Pulses have a low glycemic index, which aids in the maintenance of a healthy blood sugar level. People who consume pulses regularly may have a lower risk of developing diabetes.

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