What would a family in India do without the simple dal chawal? However, you might be surprised to learn that this typical dish potentially lacks nutrients. Do you need clarification on what we mean? Continue reading to understand what we mean.
What is Toor Dal?
A typical crop in cultivated Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Toor dal is also referred to as arhar dal. For vegans, it is among the most significant sources of protein. Toor dal, when cooked, has 187 Kcal of energy, 3 g of fat, 30 g of carbs, 1 g of sugar, 15 g of fibre, 12 g of protein, 273 mcg of sodium, 530 mcg of potassium, and numerous other essential nutritional elements.
Toor Dal Health Advantages
1. A top source of folic acid
Due to its high folic acid content, Toor dal is an absolute necessity for all pregnant women. Folic acid is essential for the foetus’ growth and may protect against neural tube birth abnormalities like spina bifida.
2. Iron-Rich
Toor Dal is also quite iron-rich. One cup of Toor dal provides around 6–12% of the recommended daily iron intake.
3. It increases the amount of fibre on your plate.
A good source of dietary fibre, such as Toor or arhar dal, can help prevent constipation and encourage regular bowel movements. In addition, a diet that is rich in fibre can lessen the risk of chronic diseases.
Toor dal consumption regularly can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cancers, heart disease, and stroke.
4. Suitable for managing diabetes and losing weight
Toor Dal must be a regular part of the diet of diabetic patients because they are an excellent source of complex carbs. Dals, in particular, have a low glycaemic index, making them a fantastic option for people with diabetes. In addition, low-GI foods take longer to break down and do not cause sudden spikes in blood sugar levels.
Toor Dal’s fibre and protein will keep you fuller for longer, stifling your appetite. This is also applicable to those who wish to lose weight. In addition, a full stomach will deter bad snacking, aiding in losing weight.
How to select the right Toor Dal?
The adage “The Shinier, the Better” may apply to diamonds but not Tur Dal. There are numerous options available when purchasing dal online, both in terms of brands and levels of quality.
Don’t worry if you are confused by the variety of choices for purchasing Toor dal online. Your capacity to choose healthier dal depends on your broad knowledge of dal manufacturing, processing, and packaging.
Difference between polished & unpolished Toor dal
Now, we will discuss the difference between unpolished and polished Toor dal in detail:
Unpolished Dal
Unpolished Toor dal has not been given any further processing to make it shiner and is packaged as naturally as possible. Unpolished dal contains a lot of fibre, and Dal provides both soluble and insoluble fibre to humans. Unpolished dal has high micronutrients like potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and thiamine.
Dal can be kept unpolished for five to six months. Dal should always be kept in a dry, cool environment. This dal has an excellent aroma. It takes less time to boil this dal. Therefore, this dal is healthier for you.
This dal is expensive. Since they are rich in all nutrients and have greater fibre, vegans prefer this type of dal, which explains why unpolished dal is so costly.
Polished Dal
Polished Toor dal is the term for raw harvested dal that has undergone processing to give it a shinier texture. Dal that has been polished contains less fibre since polishing reduces the amount of fibre. The micronutrients like potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, etc., are also lost by polishing dal. Dal is polished merely to enhance its visual value. The polished dal has a nice appearance. By polishing the dal, the grain’s shelf-life is improved. You can keep polished dal for nine to ten months.
The dal is polished to remove chemical pesticide particles and other contaminants. Cooking this dal takes extra time. Therefore, this dal is not as nutritional. Its colour is bright, shiny, and uniform. The polished dal receives no additional layers. In reality, during the polishing process, its outer layer is removed.
This dal is reasonably priced. The cause of this is increased sales of polished dal. The fact that they often sold rotten, unpolished dal by polishing it is another factor in the low price.
Reasons why dal is polished
- To give dal an excellent, lustrous, vibrant, and dark appearance.
- To preserve dal for a long time. It will contain less moisture as its outer layer is peeled off.
- Old dal is polished to make it appear like a new dal to sell in the market.
What is utilised in dal polishing?
For polishing the dal, water, leather, and oil are used. The dal will be supplied with extra calories if oil is used to polish it. Vegans and vegetarians enjoy dal greatly; however, if leather was used to polish the dal, vegans could not consume that dal. If water is to be used to polish the dal, it must be clean, and it should originate from a reliable source to be safe for people’s health.
Why Should You Pick Unpolished Toor Dal?
Unpolished Toor Dal has some particular benefits:
- Improvised taste: The taste of polished dal is inferior to unpolished dal once the exterior surface has been polished.
- Save on fuel: Unpolished dal can ultimately save you time and fuel, as polished dal takes a long time to cook.
- No harm: Dals that have not been polished are good for our health. As oil coating adds more fat to the diet, the polishing chemicals may be hazardous. Additionally, the water from an unsafe source could have left soapstone or marble powder on the dal, which is terrible for our intestines.
- Loss of different vitamins, minerals, and fibres: Pulses are recognised to have various nutritional benefits. They are rich in soluble fibre, polyphenols, and protein. Unfortunately, pulses often lose a significant amount of fibre and nutrients during polishing. The polished dal is, therefore, not just unhealthy but also less nutritional.
- No repolishing: The old stocks are typically sent back for repolishing before being resold when the polished dal is not sold for an extended period. Dal that has been polished may be harmful to your health.
Final Words
A platform like Odyana has exactly the right unpolished dal to suffice your need. They offer numerous health advantages. We recommend you always choose the unpolished dals.
All you have to remember is to have a platform that offers the right nutritional dal.
Odyana has brands that offer fine unpolished dal that offers B complex vitamins.
Dals that aren’t polished are unquestionably a fantastic method to sneak in tonnes of nutrition without compromising flavour. But your body needs more healthy consumption than flavour. To support your flavour point, Odyana has the dal with a likeable natural flavour.
Next time you shop, consider the saying “All that glitters is not gold” and choose the unpolished Shoonya Hand-Milled Split, Arhar Dal, to guarantee your family’s health.
About The Author
Anita Sharma
Anita Sharma is a Master in English and European Literature currently works with many organizations as a freelance content writer. Apart from it, she has her own blogging website.
