Peas, beans and lentils are considered a good alternative to meat: they contain vegetable protein, and the foods in them are sweet and nutritious. However, if you cook them incorrectly, you may experience indigestion, bloating and other problems. What is the reason for such unpleasant cereal “behavior” and what can be done to make your favorite lobby or lentil soup completely safe?
Where does the foam come from when the beans are cooked?
We use foam to remove the meat from the broth, but we do not usually do this with bean infusion. And in vain. The characteristic foam is caused by saponins – these are complex organic compounds similar to surfactants used to make shampoos. Saponins are naturally created to protect plants from pests but they work differently in humans.
Therefore, the first rule for cooking grains is to always remove the foam (up to 5-6 times during cooking).
When will cereals be anti-nutritional?
Beans and lentils contain phytonutrients that reduce the bioavailability of many minerals, such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus. But this only happens to people who suddenly turn into grains and start eating more. Obviously, such a diet will make you feel worse.
Those who are accustomed to grains gradually eat lentils, beans and peas regularly and in small portions, and they ripen properly, on the contrary, notice an improvement in their health. Scientists, for example, say that vegetarians, whose main food is grains, are better protected from bone disease than other carnivores.
So the second rule: gradually introduce grains into the diet in small portions. As the intestinal microflora is used to break down fatty acids, all trace elements are completely removed.
By the way, it is important to remember this rule because the starch in beans and lentils, beans, lentils or chickpeas lowers blood sugar in people who do not eat much. An unprepared body can react to short-term glucose uptake, which can be dangerous even for a healthy person. Combine low-glycemic foods (such as green salads or fresh vegetables) when switching to grains.
Other important rules: How to eat grains to stay healthy unconditionally
Bake dried beans, beans or lentils for 48 hours
According to most recipes, fill the cereal with water, not overnight, but for two days. The more time you spend in the water, the better the beans will be absorbed into your stomach and intestines.
Take hot water to soak in alkali and add a little baking soda and salt (literally a pinch each) or a teaspoon of lemon juice. Change the water every six hours, add salt or lemon again. This is to extract fatty acids from beans.
Cook the beans for more than three hours
After a long time, they will already be very soft, but still, well, they should cook for a long time. For covered lentils and peas, a special condition may occur: they are already steamed, so they cook very quickly – they cook in mashed potatoes in 15-20 minutes. It is best to cook the beans slowly, in a tajin or thick-walled pan with a tight-fitting lid.
Eat light meals often
Look at Mexicans, Turks, Arabs, Indians, or Caucasus: Their grains serve as a completely neutral food, and the taste is emphasized with the help of spices. However, beans, lentils or lentils are rarely mixed with meat and never mixed with fish or fruit.
Cereals should be paired with vegetables, rice or other grains with herbs and spices: Dewich, mint, basil, all kinds of pepper, corridor, curry powder and turmeric. Beans are best served with processed foods: chopped onion or garlic, chopped fresh pepper, yogurt broth.
Drink herbal tea after beans
Herbal teas from mint, chamomile, linden, cumin or fungus help the digestive process.
Briefly on the benefits of cereals
Remember the main reasons why cereals should be in everyone’s diet from childhood:
- Grains contain a large amount of dietary fiber (including fiber), which the body needs to “cleanse” in time, regenerate microflora and its normal formation.
- With regular use, fiber gradually lowers glucose metabolism, so beans and lentils are important in preventing diabetes.
- Fiber also has the unique ability to bind to organic carcinogens and heavy metal salts from food or the environment. It has a detrimental effect on the body;
- Vegetable protein foods make the diet easier and more varied.
Do you like beans?