Recently, peas, beans and lentils are again in fashion. To a large extent, this is facilitated by the emergence of new technologies that eliminated the need for prolonged soaking of legumes and accelerated the process of their preparation.
Pick your recipe
It is known that bean inexpensive, very nutritious and from them you can cook a wide variety of delicious dishes. But this is not all the virtues of peas, beans or lentils. If you want, for example, to lose a couple of kilograms of weight and not subject yourself to a starvation diet, be sure to include legumes in your diet. They contain few calories, but thanks to carbohydrates they are good at satisfying hunger.
Essential Nutrients
The composition of legumes meets the most stringent requirements that can only be presented to tasty and healthy products: they are rich in vegetable proteins that are full in amino acid composition; carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. For example, 100 g of beans contains 22 g of protein and 54 g of carbohydrates, and 100 g of beans contains 6 g and 8 g, respectively. Of the minerals, potassium and phosphorus, which play an important role in maintaining the body’s vital functions, should be highlighted, and from vitamins - group B and vitamin PP. Legumes are also rich in ballast substances, which play a stabilizing role in maintaining a constant level of sugar in the blood. Thanks to the effects of ballast substances, the level of cholesterol in the body is also reduced.
How to store and cook legumes
In a dry, dark and cold place, legumes can be stored for six to nine months. If you pre-soak them, you will have to cook much less. You should also know that salt and acid-containing products, such as tomatoes or vinegar, prevent softening and therefore it is better to add them after the dish is ready.
Peas
The most popular of all legumes is peas. It is sold, usually in the form of yellow or green peas. The high starch content makes the peas a little dry. It is best suited for mashed potatoes or thick soups.
Beans
Beans are the largest group of legumes. The varieties included in it are distinguished by a significant variety of shapes and sizes, which in turn also differ in taste and quality. For example, white beans have a mild flavor and, as a rule, are very boiled. Therefore, it is often used to make a thick soup, adding, depending on taste preferences and imagination, garlic, lard, tomatoes or other components. Red beans are consumed in fried or baked form, and also often as a filling.