EAT YOUR LENTILS RIGHT OR THEY CAN EAT YOU UP!!!

Lentils make a great plant based protein and fiber dense food for Vegans and vegetarians, it’s almost a staple in every Indian home, but are you using them the right way so these ‘LECTIN’ rich foods are not damaging your gut-lining and contributing to a LEAKY gut.

Plants like most animals do not like predation, they hope for their seeds to thrive through harsh conditions and ensure their offspring (seeds/nuts) survive predation by making the animal that eats them sick with their innate super-power protein toxins called ‘Lectins’.

Lectins could potentially disrupt your gut-wall lining causing LEAKY GUT and triggering your chances of auto-immune diseases, stomach cramps, poor digestion, bloating/gas. This is plant’s natural defense to sickening its predators to discourage them from consuming its offspring.

 Human Intelligence lies in eating them right, here are few ESOTERIC ways to minimize mineral/enzyme blockers in LENTILS to enhance nutrient assimilation and benefit from their amino-acid profile without harming yourself.

SPROUTING YOUR LENTILS (DAL)::

Sprouting Split Chana Lentil

Sprouting is a process that enables the seed to release its anti-nutrients (lectins and phytic acid) by preparing it for germination in the presence of water. Squirrels are known to counter this problem by burrowing their nuts/seeds in the soil, the dampness in the soil enables the seed to release anti-nutrients and prepare for germination, well the squirrel now grabs this opportunity and benefits eating a nutrient rich seed free of mineral/enzyme blockers, while I still wonder how these tiny animals figured their way to outdo their intellectual prey.

 What we humans can do to help us digest these seeds is no different –

1.     Clean 1 cup of lentils until all the chemicals and preservatives (foam and phytic acid) are cleared away,

2.     Soak 1 cup lentils in 3 cups filtered water for 6-8 hours in 1 tbsp Raw unfiltered APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (or about 24 hours for kids/people with sensitive digestion and gut related issues)

3.     Pour out the soaked water and run your fingers through the lentils, add more water and clean 3x more times.

4.     Add filtered water in 3:1 ratio (Water: Lentils) pressure cook lentils until they form a paste like consistency (if you’re cooking them in a normal pot cook them on high, clearing the foam accumulated on top every hour half, change water twice, when the lentil has cooked and feels soft, cool down the lentils and pulse them three times or mash them softly with a fork.

5.     Now, cook them with your choice of vegetables and delicious tempering.

BENEFITS:

1.     Eliminates anti-nutrients that can interfere with mineral and nutrient absorption.

2.     Reduces bloating and gas (no more smelly hydrogen sulphide gas (farts) even when you overconsume them)

3.     Forming a paste or blending them aids in easier digestion and promotes efficient amino acid assimilation.

4.     Reduces Constipation and stomach cramps caused by anti-nutrients in children and people with sensitive gut.

 5.     This preparation is also favorable for kids below 2 years of age, aids in easy digestion without over-burdening their tender stomachs

A QUICK TASTY INDIAN STAPLE RECIPE –

INGREDIENTS

Lentil Trio

1/2 cup Toor Dal

½ cup split Moong Dal

¼ cup Chana Dal

 The above three types of lentils, CLEANED, SPROUTED, COOKED (Using the above ESOTERIC method) to extract maximum nutritional benefits from LENTILS (mashed with a fork or pulsed to form a paste)

WHOLE SPICES

1 tbsp Fennel Seeds

½ tsp Chili Powder

½ tsp Hing

2 Dried chilli

5-6 Curry leaves

2 tsp Cumin seeds

½ tsp Turmeric

2 tsp Pink Himalayan salt (add more to suit your taste)

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

2 tbsp. extra virgin COCONUT OIL or GRASS FED GHEE

VEGETABLE PRODUCE

2 Medium Diced Tomatoes (Remove seeds and skin if you have a sensitive gut, use only PULP)

Handful diced Spinach

½ cup diced Baby Kale

METHOD

 Place the skillet on medium heat, add 2 tbsp coconut oil/ghee

Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dried chilli  allow them to splutter

Add curry leaves

Add diced tomatoes, 2 cloved crushed garlic + turmeric + chilli powder + hing

Add salt and cook for 2 minutes on medium high with lid closed

Add chopped spinach + baby kale

Add blended paste OR mashed paste

COOK FOR a minute with lid closed.

 Serve HOT!!!

 My family and I have been practicing this style of LENTIL preparation and have never encountered BLOATING/GAS even with going over-board with portion sizes. Try this method of LENTIL preparation and share your feedback with us …

EAT YOUR LENTILS RIGHT OR THEY CAN EAT YOU UP!!!

Sprouting Whole Mung Bean