Besan - A Wholesome Flour

Gram flour, more popularly known as Besan is a highly nutritious food which provides us with tons of health benefits. Thanks to its high protein content it can easily be consumed by vegetarians to fulfil their protein needs. It not only is useful inside but also outside the body. From ancient times besan has been used as a home-made face pack to remove tan and to lighten the skin. Being such a versatile item, besan has found a permanent place in our kitchens. All of us have had the pleasure of tasting the different yummy dishes made with besan as it is a favourite ingredient for Indian home-made healthy snacks option – ‘pakodas’.

Now if we were to tell you that eating besan not only supplies you with a truckload of health benefits but also helps you lose weight along the way? Yes, that is correct. Besan has lesser calories than whole wheat flour. Being nutritionally dense they promote weight loss as they contain lower levels of fat as compared to their non-vegetarian protein counterparts. According to various studies adding protein & fibre to your diet may help control cravings, as they take longer to digest than carbohydrates, helping you feel fuller for longer and on fewer calories, which could help you lose weight. Besan is also rich in fibre, iron, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, folate, vitamin B-6 and thiamine.

Health Benefits:

1. Helps Lower Cholesterol:
Besan contains healthy unsaturated fats which help in lowering the cholesterol level of the body.

2. Useful in pregnancy:
Besan is rich in folate, a vitamin which takes care of the foetus’ brain and spinal cord development and ensures a healthy well developed baby.

3. Helps during fatigue:
Besan is a good source of the vitamin Thiamine which helps the body in converting food into energy.

4. Controls Diabetes:
Due to its low glycaemic index, it is a great food for diabetics. One can use it in rotis or parathas as a replacement for flour.

5. Helps in strengthening of bones:
The phosphorous in gram flour combines with calcium in the body to help in the formation of strong bones.

6. Helps getting rid of iron deficiency:
Being rich in iron, consumption of besan on a daily basis can help the body recover to from iron deficiencies like anaemia.

7. Helps regulate blood pressure:
The magnesium content of besan helps in maintaining vascular health and it also helps in the regulation of blood pressure.

8. Helps improve heart health:
Besan has high soluble fibre content which is beneficial for the health of the heart.

9. Healthy alternative for Gluten:
Since besan does not contain gluten, it is a great substitute to wheat and other gluten containing grains, for those people who are allergic to gluten.

10. Helps regulate mood and appetite:
Besan is rich in vitamin B6 which is an important component involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin plays an important in mood and appetite regulation.