SELECTION, PREPARATION AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF PULSES, NUTS AND OILSEEDS

Pulses are an essential constituent of the Indian diet. All of us include some form of pulse in our diet. Rajmah, chana, besan, moong, arhar are all examples of frequently eaten pulses. Besides being good sources of proteins they are also rich in minerals and vitamins. Nuts and oilseeds are also very nutritious. We may not be eating them in very large amounts due to the high cost of these food items. However, groundnuts are commonly consumed and provide certain nutrients to our body.

Pulses are a very important part of our diet. They provide protein, iron and certain vitamins. Since a number of pulses are available and they can be cooked in several different ways, it is easy to consume sufficient amounts of these foods in our diet. Nuts and oilseeds are also important because of their rich nutrient content. They are relatively expensive and therefore difficult to include in the diet. However, a variety of ways are suggested to include these in our diet.

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