Why You Should Include Legumes in Your Daily Meal
By Esther Kanja
Do you know the value of legumes? Often, we avoid the most nutritious sources of protein which are readily available thinking that they are just common foods that do not add much value to our diet. But the fact is most of these foods, especially legumes are rich in nutrients that play major roles in keeping our bodies healthy and strong.
Malnutrition, a condition that affects mostly children, is caused by not only unavailability of food but also consumption of poor diet. Hence parents need to ensure that they make use of various sources of nutrients when preparing meals for their families. Legumes are a good example of a source of protein and other nutrients required by the body.
What are legumes?
A legume is a type of food that comes from the family of Leguminosae. All legumes have one common trait that they grow in a pod according to their type. Legumes have very high nutrition value and including them in your daily meal will be of great health benefit.
There are beneficial fats in legumes as well as insoluble fiber which turns to gel when it mixes with water in the digestive system and soluble fiber which can’t dissolve into the digestive system. This will escalate your healthy gut bacteria which will keep your immune system in check and promote your whole body’s health.
The legumes commonly found in Kenya are most types of beans, lentils, peas and peanuts as explained below;
Ø Beans
Beans are the pod-borne seeds of leguminous plants. They contain amounts of zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and vitamins B1, B6, E, and K. For vegetarians’ beans have the highest source of proteins.
They’re packed with fiber and are low in fat and calories. These are two components of nutrients needed for weight loss. They may also help in reducing heart disease, inflammation, and blood pressure.
Various types of beans include; rosecoco beans which if pureed can be eaten with ugali or rice. Yellow beans, nyayo bean and mwitemania beans can be mixed with maize to make Githeri. Mung beans make the best stew with Chapattis.
Kidney beans and red beans can make very nice mixed rice meal, and black beans also known as ‘Njahi’ make great stews with rice, or can be mashed with potatoes and green bananas to make a great meal.
Soybean can be used to make soy milk when cooked and soaked then ground. This is good for you if you’re lactose intolerant.
Ø Lentils
Lentils are like the king in maintaining gut health since they help in bowel function and this helps with digestion and prevents spikes in blood sugar.
This could mean a low diabetic rate if you incorporate lentils in your diet often. There’re various lentils in the Kenyan market like the green lentil or ndengu, the brown lentil or Kamande and the orange and yellow lentils.
Lentils are a good source of vegetarian protein and can make good stews, soups, curry, fritters, Lentil burgers, and samosa fillers.
Ø Peas
Pea fiber and protein can be used as supplements for those with weight-related issues. Eating peas can decrease insulin resistance and abdominal fat.
Consuming pea fiber and pea flour, studies have shown that it reduces the increase of insulin and blood sugar after having a meal. Whereby reducing your blood triglycerides and makes you feel full for longer.
Peas can make beef pea stew, green pea stew, mashed peas with potatoes to make the famous mukimo and fillers for samosas.
Ø Peanuts
Peanuts are interestingly legumes and this sets them apart from other nuts. They’re a very good source of, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, B vitamins, and protein.
Eating peanuts can help you reduce the risk of stroke, diabetes, cancer, and even heart disease.
Peanuts can be ground to make porridge flour,can be roasted and eaten as a snack, ground peanut flour can make good matoke paste stew. Homemade peanut butter can be very easy to make with peanuts.
Readily Available for You
The bottom line is legumes are readily available to most farmers and affordable. Legumes come in various colors, sizes, and shapes. The fact that they’re eaten in their different forms that include split, dried or ground into flour, cooked, canned or frozen whole legumes, makes it easy to cook regularly and enjoy with different accompaniments. With all their health benefits it’s paramount to include them in your daily diet.