Beans Paruppu Usili - BM#4

Most kitchens have plenty of healthy food options. So, creating healthy food is actually simpler than it seems. One such common kitchen food is besan (bengal gram flour). With its lower glycemic index, higher protein content, being gluten free and high nutritive value, besan has a lot of health benefits like weight loss, controlling diabetes. Besan is a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber which also prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia

Control Diabetes: Due to the low glycemic index of Besan, it is a great food for diabetics. Use it in your rotis, parathas as a replacement for flour.

Improve Heart Health: Besan has a high soluble fiber content and is beneficial for heart health. It is also endorsed by the Heart Care Foundation.

Weight Loss: Due to lower glycemic index, and calorie count, besan is often used as a low calorie food for those trying to lose weight.

Reduced Allergies: Since besan does not contain gluten, it is a great substitute to wheat and gluten containing grains, for those people that are allergic to gluten.
Besan has high nutritive value, and has plenty more health benefits. Beyond dhokla, khandvi, there are many healthy recipes using besan- even besan brownies and chutney!

Besan & Diabetics

Besan has high protein content, is high in fiber and low in glycemic index (~32). All of these are helpful for those with diabetes or the risk of diabetes.
High fiber and low glycemic index content of besan prevents blood sugar or blood glucose levels from rising too rapidly after a meal.
The presence of dietary fibers in besan helps normalize blood glucose levels and reduce these spikes. This is achieved by fiber actively slowing gastric emptying as well as increasing the sensitivity to insulin allowing for proper absorption.
Besan is beneficial for individuals with diabetes as preliminary evidence mentioned that eating besan may be beneficial for correcting dyslipidaemia (lipid level derangement), and preventing diabetes.
Studies have proved a considerable improvement in the fasting blood sugar levels and glucose tolerance in diabetic patients who were on a prescribed diet and do not severely restrict the intake of carbohydrates, but incorporated liberal amounts of Bengal gram flour in the diet.
Besan thus may help prevent and manage type 2 diabetes by replacing whole wheat flour as an ingredient in creating low glycemic index foods. Indians are at a higher risk of diabetes.
My recipe for the day is Beans Paruppu Usili.

Ingredients:

• Fresh beans - 300gms ( cut into small pieces)


• Bengal Gram dal - 1 cup ( soaked for 3 hours)


• Red chillie powder - 2 tsps


• Salt - to taste


• Tempering - oil, mustard seeds & curry leaves

Method:

• Boil the beans and set it aside


• Grind the soaked bengal gram coarsely in a blender


• In a non stick pan , add a little oil and wait for it be hot


• Add mustard seeds followed by the curry leaves


• To this add the boiled beans and coarsely ground bengal gram


• Add red chillie powder and adjust salt


• Keep stirring till you see the bengal gram and beans getting blended together


• Serve with Arachivitta sambhar. Its a heavenly combination.

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