There are hundreds of
varieties due to its adaptation to poor terrain and extreme weather. Of storage
for long periods of time made him one of the primary foods consumed for
centuries. Food of the working classes, was named the flesh of the poor by
their protein content. Although there are a variety of legumes, among the most
consumed by man lentils, peas, beans, beans, beans, beans, chickpeas, almonds,
peanuts and soy are.
Legumes have gone away
from our habits food with new food habits, still a healthy and nutritious food
which must re-enter our diet given its contribution in soluble fiber, high
quality protein (only missing an amino acid methionine, which have in many
cereals), carbohydrates, fat in small quantity (AGM and AGP) minerals: copper,
iron, magnesium and zinc and vitamins of the complex B.
However, legumes are
dried seeds and therefore contain antinutrients such as lectins, and phytates
(phytic acid). These substances which protect the seeds of insects, fungi,
pests and ensure conditions so that the seed germinate; they can produce
different nutritional and health problems to humans who consume them regularly,
since they reduce or impede our ability to absorb nutrients from the food
itself.
For this reason, the
importance of the 'activation' of seeds, since they transform or deactivate the
antinutrients that wisely have been created by nature so they only germinate
under the prevailing conditions of water and light. This makes food easier to
digest and nutrients available to be properly assimilated.
The activation of
legumes (as well as other seeds such as almonds, peanut, etc.) is the process
that is developed to be placed in water for several hours. To the be hydrated
under conditions as similar as possible to seeding: low light, water and low
temperature, they receive the message that it is time to germinate, therefore
they suffer several transformations:
The water released the
mentioned antinutrients that have fulfilled the function of protecting it.
Free enzyme inhibitors,
that if we eat them, would lead to that I lose our enzymes to digest that food.
Its nutrients are
activated to shoot the new plant.
To drink the water we
avoid that our body has to "work" to bring that deficit of liquid,
which makes digestion more heavy.
His contribution in
proteins is comparable with that of meat, eggs and fish, although they lack
some amino acids that can be found in cereals, by what, to combine legumes with
cereals, we obtain a food with all the essential amino acids, which means that
we supply to the body adequate amounts which the human body cannot generate
itself.
One of the best cereals
with legumes is rice, because its proteins contain all the essential amino
acids but are low in lysine, therefore, with the combination of rice with
lentils or beans (beans), gets a biological quality and protein greater than
the large part of products of animal origin.
Two of the plant foods
that contain all the essential amino acids are soybean and spirulina (seaweed).
In conclusion, we can
say that it is essential for a healthy diet and balanced, its composition in
proteins, minerals and vitamins, as well as its high content of non-soluble
fiber and low fat content, provided that we must not forget "activate",
i.e. put them to soak (re-hydrate) at least overnight before its preparation
and subsequent consumption.