Be it Vegetarians or Non- vegetarians, daal is a compulsory dish for all Indian meals especially for the Bengalis. Daals are types of pulses that have many nutritional values. Apart from the general health benefits of all daals, each type of these super-foods has its own set of nutritional values, for which having a mix of different kinds of daal in our daily diet is advantageous.

So, let me share few benefits of 5 different types of daal used by Bengalis in their everyday diet.

 

1) Bangla Gram Daal or Channa Daal:

Channa Daal or Bangla gram daal is one of the richest sources of dietary protein. It is advisable for all diabetic patients to consume channa daal in their daily diet as it helps keep diabetes at bay.



2) Masoor Daal:

Masoor is sold in all forms like with or without skin, whole or split. It is very soft and cooks quickly, and it is known to improve blood circulation in our body. Masoor daal is extremely rich in soluble fiber, which forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, thereby helping in removing bile from the body. It further helps in eliminating and reducing blood cholesterol levels.


 

3) Kolai er Daal:

Kolai/ Urad daal has protein, fat, and carbohydrates, which is required by the body. This dal is one of the richest sources of proteins and Vitamin B. Apart from providing you with several health benefits, kolai daal can work wonders for your skin and hair as it is packed with minerals, it is great for women to consume this daal as it has iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, potassium which makes it a healthy pulse.


 

4) Arhar Daal/ Tur Daal:

The Arhar daal is slightly sweet, easily digestible and absorbs the flavor of other spices quickly. It takes a little longer to cook than any other daal. Our body needs energy and Arhar daal/ Tur daal is an excellent source of carbohydrates. It is high in dietary fibre, low in saturated fat, and is cholesterol free. Highly recommended for women planning to conceive as it contains folic acid and other important vitamins.



 

5) Sona Moong Daal:

This daal is a rich source of iron and potassium and is extremely light and easy to digest. Moong daal, like a lot of other daals is a rich source of protein for vegetarians. In fact its protein content is not far behind that of meat and eggs, as 100 Gms serving of moong daal can provide with 24 Gms of protein. Moong daal is a great daal for people who want to lose weight due to its high protein and high fibre content.  It is also known to benefit the immune system and protect against many diseases.


 

So, now knowing all the benefits of these daals I have made a plan to try each of them each day of the coming week...wouldn’t you like to do the same?