Proteins obtained from plants leave a smaller carbon footprint. So focus is now on cereals and pulses, as the two important sources of plant based proteins. Pulses are rich in amino acid lysine but less in sulphur containing amino acids. The cereals are a rich source of sulphur containing amino acids but have less lysine. When combined, they complement each other and are a good protein package.
Great! But here is the hitch!
These proteins are poorly digested. Lower digestibility means less amino acids are available for absorption and use.
Presence of less digestible protein fractions, high content of insoluble fiber and high level of anti nutritional factors like tannins make them difficult to digest. These can be resolved at different levels.
While purchasing :
Buy pulses with the husk removed. Dehulling (removal of husk) reduces the content of insoluble fibers and improve the digestibility.
Before cooking :
The traditional processes of soaking, sprouting and fermentation lower the level of anti nutritional factors. Sprouting also increases the protein content. However sprouting beyond 48 hours has no further benefits in terms of digestibility.
When cooking :
It is good to cook till the grain is soft. Pressure-cooking is more effective than simple cooking.
Roasting before use also improves digestibility.
Hard to cook grains :
If grains are stored for a long duration, especially in condition of high humidity and temperature, they do not soften upon soaking and are difficult to cook. The digestibility of such grains is reduced and they have lower nutritional quality.
That is lot of food for thought!
So Mix and Match to get interesting combinations and Cook Smart. Bon appetit!!