Discover High Protein Pulses To Make Delicious Daals for Your Kids

Pulses are a part of the legume family. While legumes include beans, lentils, and peas, pulses refer to the dried seed only. A lentil or daal can be of many kinds, whole, split with the skin on, or split with the skin removed. The difference between pulses and legumes is as simple as fresh peas being legumes and dried peas being pulses. Another example is mung beans becoming mung daal when the seeds are split. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and understand the nutritional benefits of Indian pulses before incorporating them into your kids’ diets.

Benefits of High Protein pulses in Your Kids’ diet

1. Pulses are a good source of antioxidants

Lentils, beans, and daals are a rich source of polyphenols and bioactive compounds. This makes them a wonderful source of antioxidants. Since antioxidants prevent oxidative stress, protect the body from free radicals, and boost immunity to fight against diseases, they make high-protein pulses a perfect meal accompaniment for your kids.

2. Pulses also provide several essential vitamins and minerals

Indian pulses are the ones abundantly available and consumed in India. Since these pulses are a wonderful source of fiber, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, folate, and magnesium, among others, they become a great provider of important vitamins and minerals to kids in daily meals.

3. Pulses reduce the risk of diabetes

Since pulses rank low on the glycemic index, they cause little stir in your kids’ blood sugar levels when consumed. This makes them an ideal addition to your kids’ diet as they not only maintain sugar levels in diabetics but also lower the risk of incurring diabetes mellitus in children.

4. Pulses improve heart health

Since the consumption of pulses is linked to lowering cholesterol levels, they make a good, heart-friendly meal for your kid. Also, the high level of potassium and minimal sodium makes daal helpful in regulating blood pressure levels as well. This is why when unwell, daals are safe and satisfying for kids’ digestion.

5. Pulses may lower the risk of cancer

Since lentils, beans, and pulses possess antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, they lower the risk of some cancers. Also, pulses contain selenium, which decreases the growth rate of tumors and stimulates T-cell production to boost immunity and fight diseases.

6. Pulses provide strength

Pulses are a wonderful source of strength, thanks to all the protein, folate, essential vitamins, and minerals present in them. Since a cup of boiled lentils provides as much as 18 gm of protein, with equally generous amounts of fiber, iron, and vitamin C, they help build muscle mass, monitor weight, fight diseases, and increase strength in children.

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High protein Pulses that can be used to make delicious daals for your kids

Though lentils and pulses are of many kinds, here is a comprehensive list of Indian pulses that can be used to concoct delectable daals for your children. They include -

1. Green gram beans, both whole and split (mung daal)
2. Black-eyed beans (chawli)
3. Red lentils, both whole and split (masoor daal)
4. Yellow pigeon peas (toor daal)
5. Adzuki beans (chori)
6. Turkish gram (moth)
7. Kidney beans (rajma)
8. Green peas (hara matar)
9. White peas (safed matar)
10. Split Bengal gram (chana daal)
11. Black gram, both whole and split (urad daal)

Irresistible and nourishing high-protein daal ideas for children

1. South Indian style masoor daal

While North Indians use more dairy and spices to flavor their daals, the South prefers seasoning their pulses with coconut milk, curry leaves, and mustard seeds for a spectacular and unique flavor. Other than the special trio of ingredients, for this delicious daal, you will need olive oil, diced onions, grated ginger, finely chopped green chili, cumin powder, coriander powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, chopped garlic, chopped tomatoes, red lentils, vegetable stock, salt, pepper, and the juice of a lemon. Whip up this daal on a bad day and pair it with some steaming hot rice and papad for a comfort meal.

2. Toor daal fry

This restaurant-style take on a basic homely split pigeon pea daal is a game-changer for weekday dinners. All you need is toor daal, ghee, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, hing, broken dried red chili, green chili, chopped onion, ginger-garlic paste, pureed tomato, garam masala, salt, crushed kasuri methi, chopped coriander leaves, lemon juice, water, salt, and pepper. Pair the dish with rotis generously slathered in ghee or butter and watch your kids and family’s protein and energy levels get replenished.

3. Bengali chana daal

This classic Bengali preparation of split Bengal gram is a great hit among children, mainly due to its sweet and coconutty flavor. The protein-rich daal requires chana daal, garlic, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, mustard oil, bay leaf, cumin seeds, slit green chilies, grated coconut, raisins, chopped coriander, cinnamon, mild red chilies, cardamom pods, and water. Pair this delicious dish with some golden-fried puffed bread or luchis and watch your kids gobble down extra servings of this nutritious, traditional daal preparation.