3 amazing things that will happen to your body if you eat dal every day

Love it or hate it, but you can’t go without a katori of dal, especially when you’ve grown up in India. From the humble masoor and urad to the fancy rajma, pulses are an integral part of the Indian household. We’d go as far as saying that in spite of how simply they can be prepared, they offer such a wide variety of goodness that is critical to staying healthy.

Pulses are unique in the sense that even though they’re not high in fats, they are extremely rich in nutrients like protein and fibre. They also contain important vitamins and minerals, including folate, iron, potassium, and zinc. No wonder, our parents have always tried to convince us to eat pulses! A single bowl of dal contains all the important nutrients, vitamins and minerals that we need in order to ensure we function healthily.

Here are three things that will happen to your body, if you make it a point to eat pulses every day:

1. Weight management

Pulses are extremely rich in protein and fibre. This works well for those looking at losing weight because:

• Pulses are a great way of obtaining protein and fibre, minus the high-fat content. Hence, eating pulses can give you the right amount of energy and nutrition, but without piling on the calories.
• The protein and fibre in pulses also fills up the stomach and contributes to a feeling of satiety. This means that consuming pulses can help you control your appetite and prevents overeating.

2. Healthy cells

Due to all the protein, iron and folate, eating pulses regularly also ensures that your cells stay healthy enough for the repair-and-renewal process. The iron, in fact, can also reduce your risk of developing anaemia. From your immune system to digestion, everything will stay on track and the risk of developing any illnesses will be minimised, with the daily consumption of daal.

3. Improved heart health

Pulses are known to be extremely healthy for the heart, helping reduce bad cholesterol and also reducing blood pressure. Making it a point to consume pulses every single day can also ensure that your heart stays healthy, thereby reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. 

What to keep in mind

It is true that pulses are extremely nutritious, but we also need to cook them in a healthy way in order to ensure we’re able to gain their benefits. For example, you should avoid using too much oil or add too much salt to the tadka given that those ingredients are not good for health. You can, instead, use olive oil or ghee for tadka. To increase the spicy flavour, you can add some green chillies or black pepper. The aim should be to use everything in moderation to strike that balance between taste and health.

Ladies, make sure you’re sticking to the humble daal to stay healthy!