🌱Kala chana or desi chana is known as Chanaka in Ayurveda .
🌱It is small and dark in color.
🌱This legume can be used in various forms like it can be cooked whole , it could be pounded into flour or besan , split into daal , dry roast and powderd to make sattu.
🌱Kala chana is high in protein, rich in fibre, low in fat, good source of potassium and sodium, rich in easy to absorb minerals and vitamins – especially iron, calcium and folate.
🌱Studies reveal that the amounts of dietary fiber found in black chana is far more superior and effective than compared to other legumes.
🤔What are the properties of Kala chana?
👉It is cold in nature, reduces pitta and removes heat from the blood.
👉It is dry in nature, removes excessive water or kapha from body .
👉It is alkalizing in nature .
👉It is light to digest.
🤔How kala chana is beneficial for health?
🌻It helps in lowering cholesterol, reduces the levels of LDL cholesterol and total triglycerides.
🌻It regulate blood sugar, it carries a very low glycemic index and is a great source of protein for vegetarians who have sugar intolerance, or are diabetic.
👉The complex carbohydrate in black chana digest slowly and the soluble fibre regulates the absorption of sugars into the blood.
👉The low glycemic index of chickpeas is 28, it prevents sudden spike in blood sugars, keeps you satiated for longer hours thus avoiding hunger pangs.
🌻It helps in weight loss as fire quality and the high fiber moves the toxins accumulated deep in the tissues which aids in proper weight management
❤️Good for cardiac health.
🌻It cleans the colon, provide healthy intestinal flora and bowel movements.
😎It enhance hair, skin and nail health.
🤒Helps with fever caused due toxins build-up in body.
🥵It is good for those suffering from high body temperature and blood-related problems.
🌹Useful in anemia,as it improves levels of hemoglobin.
🦴It strengthens bones.
🌹It reduces hot flushes in menopausal women.
🌷It is useful in cough, vomiting due to intake of heavy food and diarrhea due to excessive heat.
🤔Why it is important to cook it properly?
👉As we see kala chana is high in nutrient and protein content, and carries the ability to reduce pitta and kapha, it can, on the other hand, increase vata due to its light and dry nature so cooking it properly with spices is very important .
🤔Is chana dal has same benefits like whole chana?
🌻Channa dal has the same properties as kala chana.
🌻Chana dal is the split version of the Kala chana which make it easy to digest.
🌻On regular basis, it is best to consume channa dal, the split channa, instead of whole channa.
🌻Whole kala channa is best to avoid, as it it’s heavy and it’s skin is not good for daily frequent use.
🌻Must soak chana dal before cooking.
🌻Use cinnamon, cumin, kokam(kokam helps with breaking down the protein molecules of the chana dal or kala chana ) while cooking it.
🌻Add ghee tadka to your cooked dal at the very end.
We can eat the channa dal up to 3 times per weeks on alternate days.
🤔Among Kala chana and kabuli chana which is better ?
👉Although kabuli chana or chick pea is nutritive but it is clogging in nature on the other hand kala Chana is good substitute for it,as it is not clogging but actually supports digestion while it carries all the nutritional benefits of the chickpea.
🤔What about chana sattu?
🌹Chana is rich in high quality protein, in India chana sattu is used as affordable primary source of daily protein by all those undertaking strenuous work in north eastern Indian states like Bihar, UP, and Punjab
🤔Why chana sattu is better than whole chana?
👉Due to light quality, astringent taste and vistambhi prabhava kala chana can aggravate vata .
👉To remove these undesirable effects, kala chana is processed to make sattu.
👉Sattu is prepared by dry roasting chana in clean sand and then powdered .
👉This sattu powder lighter, more digestible and further helps in countering vata by removing the vistambhi effect.
👉To make this more light to digest, remove the skin of the chana as skin is very drying and even clogging .
👉Sattu pani is a great re-mineralising drink in the scorching heat, as the potassium and magnesium it contains help maintain electrolyte
Read Benefits and recipe of sattu.
🤔Is there any side effects of Chana?
👉Eat Kala chana in moderate amounts as they contain high fibre and overeating fibre can cause stomach pain and gas.
👉Always cook chana with spices, person with strong digestion can have uncooked soaked chana.
🌹Chana dal and chana sattu are better option for daily consumption.