A lot of nutrition and flavor is packed into a small package of Shrimp

Eating Prawns and Shrimps is considered a very healthy choice of food. They are high in protein but low in fat and calories.
Meat and dairy products are also sources of protein but they tend to be very high in calories and saturated fat.

A 4 oz (115 g) portion of shrimps contains almost half the recommended daily protein needed but only contains 112 calories and less than 1g of fat.

Although cholesterol content of shrimps and prawns is high, they are low in saturated fat. This means the saturated fat that raises cholesterol levels in the body and is bad for you is less in shrimps.For this reason, there is no need to avoid eating shrimps or prawns, as the cholesterol in the food is not the same as the cholesterol in one's blood.

Shrimp consumption, however, is considered healthy for the circulatory system because the lack of significant levels of saturated fat in shrimp mean that the high cholesterol content in shrimp actually improves the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol and lowers triglycerides.

Prawns and shrimps also contain high levels of vitamins. Many of these vitamins are essential for healthy skin, bones and teeth.

Shrimps are rich in zinc, iodine, phosphorous, potassium, selenium and iron and have smaller quantities of calcium, magnesium and sodium.Shrimp and other shellfish are not kosher and thus are forbidden in Jewish cuisine.

Are you confused between a Prawn and a Shrimp?

Many consumers and restaurants use the terms “shrimp” and “prawns” interchangeably. Even in commercial farming and fisheries the terms shrimp and prawn are often used interchangeably.

Terminology also varies from nation to nation, which can make matters even more confusing. In European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, the word “prawns” is more commonly on menus than the term “shrimp”, which is used more often in North America.

The term 'prawn' is also loosely used to describe any large shrimp, especially those that come 15 (or fewer) to the pound (also called “king prawns”, but also “jumbo shrimp”).

Australia and other Commonwealth countries as well as South Africa follow this European/British terminology to a greater extent, using the word 'prawn' almost exclusively.

According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations, terminology is based on the habitat. According to this, shrimp is a seawater creature, while prawn's natural habitat is fresh water.

Some people say that the difference is just in the size. ‘Shrimp’ is used to describe the smaller variety, whilst ‘Prawn’ is used to name the larger members of both species.

In biological terms, Shrimps and Prawns are Decapod Crustaceans, which means that they have 10 legs and a hard shell covering their body, although the shell that covers prawns and shrimps is much thinner and not as hard as the shell of most other crustaceans. They have to shed their shells in order to grow bigger.

There are some biological differences between Prawns and Shrimps, due to which they two are placed in different suborders. Prawns are in the suborder Dendobranchiata, while shrimp are classified as Pleocyemata.

They both can be found in salt and fresh water all over the world, typically swimming in search of food. Both shrimp and prawns tend to stay near the ocean floor. They also have similar flavors, and come in a wide range of sizes from minuscule to quite large.

Difference between a Shrimp and a Prawn:
So now we know that shrimp and prawns are closely related, but there are a few distinguishing features which divide the two.

The Prawn is transparent with long legs and is found amongst the weed in rock pools on the shore. There are several different species. In the South and West the species in the pools are called by the scientific name of Palaemon.The Shrimp is the sandy colored crustacean that lives in the sandy shallows. It has short legs and buries itself in the sand. It is called by the scientific name of Crangon and is found all around the British coast.

Some of the biological differences between prawns and shrimps are mentioned below:

1. Gill structure: Prawns have a branching gill structure, whilst the shrimps have lamellar gill structure.

2. Size of legs: Prawn’s legs are longer than shrimp’s legs.

3. Pincers: The front pincers of shrimp are typically the largest, while prawns have bigger second pincers. These differences may seem subtle, but they indicate different steps along the evolutionary path of both creatures.

4. Second Abdominal Segment: The easiest practical way to separate true shrimps from true prawns is to examine their second abdominal segments. The second segment of a shrimp overlaps both the first and the third segment, while the second segment of a prawn overlaps only the third segment.

5. Body Size: Culinarily, many people distinguish between shrimp and prawns on the basis of size. Prawns are considered to be larger, while shrimp are smaller.

6. There is also a difference in the way that the two brood their eggs. A more fundamental difference but one impossible to appreciate in a single specimen is that female prawns do not brood eggs but shed them into the currents where they develop independently.Interesting fact about Prawns and Shrimps:

Prawns and Shrimp are protandric hermaphrodites, that is, they undergo a change of sex in mid-life, starting out as males and then becoming females in their fourth and final year of life.

Masala Dani (Spice Rack)

‘Masala Dani’ means Spice Rack. In every Indian kitchen, this particular shape of spice container shows its presence, accommodating commonly used spices and herbs.

When I was young, I never knew the importance of these spices and herbs. For me it was just a fascination to watch my mom adding these colored powders in the curries. White, yellow, red, brown, black…..all colors!

Yes, I am talking about herbs, spices, and many other seasonings available. It is hard to imagine what cooking would be like without the unique flavors provided by these.

Using herbs and spices is an art. One must know how much to add and how to combine flavors. Several guidelines suggest amounts to use in developing recipes. Strong, pungent spices such as red pepper should be used in small amounts and more delicate seasoning can be used in greater amounts without ruining the final product.

In addition to the choice of herbs and seasoning, the timing of when flavors are added will affect the food that is being cooked. In some cultures, meat may be seasoned by pouring sauce over the dish at the table. A variety of seasoning techniques exist in various cultures.

The herb or spice should enhance and not overpower the flavor.

Seasoning: Seasoning is the process of adding or improving flavor of food. Seasonings include Herbs, Spices and all other Condiments. A well designed dish may combine seasonings that complement each other.

Saline seasonings—Salt, Spiced salt etc. Salt may be used to draw out water, or to magnify a natural flavor of a food making it richer or more delicate, depending on the dish. For instance, kosher salt (a coarser-grained salt) is rubbed into chicken, lamb, pork to tenderize the meat and improve flavor.

Acid seasonings—Plain Vinegar, lemon and orange juices.

Hot seasonings—Peppercorn, ground or coarsely chopped pepper, Paprika, curry, Red chili, and mixed pepper spices. Seasonings like black pepper and basil transfer some of their flavor to the food.

Saccharine seasonings—Sugar and honey.

Herbs: Herbs are leafy, green plant parts used for flavoring purposes.Examples are parsley, chives, marjoram, thyme, basil, caraway, dill, oregano, rosemary, savory, sage and celery leaves. These can be used fresh or dried. Dried forms may be whole, crushed, or ground.

Spice: A spice is a dried seed ( yellow mustard, poppy, sesame), fruit (allspice, paprika), root (ginger, onion, garlic), bark (cinnamon) or buds (cloves, saffron), vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavoring, and sometimes as a preservative by killing or preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. Spices are dried and often ground or grated into a powder. Small seeds, such as fennel and mustard seeds, are used both whole and in powder form.

Condiment: A condiment is a prepared edible substance or mixture, often preserved or fermented, that is added in relatively small quantities, most often at the table, to make food more suitable to the diner's taste. Condiments may be dry, such as a mixture of herbs and seasonings or Parmesan cheese, or preserved sauces served from a bottle, jar, or other container. Condiments are sometimes added prior to serving, for example a sandwich made with ketchup or mustard. Some condiments are used during cooking to add flavor or texture to the food; for example, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, vinegars, all have flavors that can enhance the tastes of a variety of different meats and vegetables.

Seasoning blends or Spice Mixes: Seasoning blends or Spice mixes are mixtures of spices and herbs. These are traditionally sold pre-made by grocers, but can also be made easily at home for cooking and can be kept for later use. Some examples of seasoning blends are:

Chili powder (red pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, and garlic powder)

Curry powder (coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek seed, white pepper, allspice, yellow mustard, red pepper, and ginger)

Poultry seasoning (white pepper, sage, thyme, marjoram, savory, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg)

Pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves)

Infused Oils: Infused oils are another method of seasoning. There are two methods for doing an infusion — hot and cold. Olive oil makes a good infusion base for some herbs, but tends to undergo rancidification more quickly than other oils. Infused oils should be kept refrigerated.
An infusion is a method of preparing herbs by placing them in oil or water. Plants with desirable flavors may be steeped in edible oil or vinegar for an extended period; the infused oil or vinegar is often sold still containing the plant, and is then used as flavoring. Chilies, lemon, garlic, and many other plants may be used.

Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or improve its taste and appearance. Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling (with vinegar), salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines.

Spices And Herbs In Our Daily Diet: Herbs and spices are classified as calorie free and salt free.
It turns out that a pinch of this and a dash of that not only boosts flavor in foods, it can add a heap of health benefits to recipes, too. Nutrition research supports new reasons to season dishes with commonly used culinary herbs and spices including cinnamon, ginger, oregano, red pepper and yellow curry powder. Blueberries, pomegranates and other deeply colored fruits may be famous for their high antioxidant content, but it turns out that some spices rank really well, too.

Ayurveda recommends spices/herbs to stimulate the digestion before a meal, during a meal and after a meal. Eating dishes cooked with a variety of spices and herbs helps the process of digestion – absorption – assimilation - elimination.

Some combinations of herbs help in balancing the production of stomach acids and nourishing the body tissues.

Eating a bit of fresh ginger and lemon, about 30 minutes before a main meal, helps kick-start the digestion. Chewing fennel seeds after a meal helps digestion and freshens the breath naturally as well.

“Bean, Bean, the Musical Fruit”

Beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber.
Many edible beans, including broad beans and soybeans, contain oligosaccharides (particularly Raffinose and Stachyose), a type of sugar molecule. An anti-oligosaccharide enzyme is necessary to properly digest these sugar molecules.

As a normal human digestive tract does not contain any anti-oligosaccharide enzymes, consumed oligosaccharides are typically digested by bacteria in the large intestine. This digestion process produces flatulence-causing gases as a byproduct.

This aspect of bean digestion is the basis for the children's rhyme “Bean, Bean, the Musical Fruit”.

Don’t allow fear of gas to keep from enjoying bean’s versitality and nutritional advantages. Try these:

Gradually increase the amount of beans you eat over several weeks, experience shows that the body gradually adapts to increased bean consumption, and you can overcome the problem of intestinal gas or bloating caused due to beans.

• Beans can be soaked in water for several hours (8-12 hours), replacing the water every few hours, to remove the offending sugars.
• Slow cook them to help reduce the gas-forming compounds.
• Adding a little baking soda will also help, or you can buy enzyme products at the drug store that break down the gas-forming parts of the bean.
• In many cuisines beans are cooked along with natural carminative (anti flatulence) such as anise seeds, coriander seeds and cumin.
• Vinegar can also be added, but only after the beans are cooked as vinegar interferes with the beans' softening.
• Fermented beans ( L casei bacteria) produce less intestinal problems then unfermented beans, since bacteria can consume the offending sugars. Fermentation helps to increase nutritional quality also.
• To reduce flatulence cook with herbs and spices such as fennel, anise, turmeric, lemongrass, dill, oregano, rosemary, cilantro, bay leaf, ginger, cinnamon, and cumin.
  

Different types of bean really blend well with certain seasonings.

• Red or Kidney beans: cayenne, chili pepper, green chilies and chili sauce.
• Black-Eyed Peas or Pintos: Coriander
• White Beans or Lentils: bay leaves.
• Any type of bean: garlic and onions.

Lime and Lemon

Lemons and Limes are the edible fruits of shrub like trees belong to the genus Citrus (family Rutaceae /orange family) that originated in tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia. The Lemons and Limes are modified form of berry fruit called hesperidium.

A hesperidium has a tough and leathery rind. The peel contains volatile oil glands in pits. The fleshy interior is composed of separate sections, called carpels, filled with fluid-filled vesicles that are actually specialized hair cells. The outer ovary wall becomes the thick spongy layer, while the inner ovary wall becomes very juicy with several seeds.

Unlike most other berries, the rind of hesperidium is generally not eaten with the fruit because it is tough and bitter. The outermost, pigmented layer of rind contains essential oils and is known as the flavedo. When scraped off and used as a culinary ingredient it is called zest. The inner rind (known as pith or albedo) of the lemon is candied in sugar and called succade.

The color of citrus fruits only develops in climates with a cool winter. In tropical regions with no winter, citrus fruits remain green until maturity. The lime plant, in particular, is extremely sensitive to cool conditions; thus, it is usually never exposed to cool enough conditions to develop a color. If they are left in a cool place over winter, the fruits actually will change to a yellow color.For cooler winter areas, lemon and lime trees should not be grown, since they are more sensitive to winter cold than other citrus fruits.

The Lime fruit tends to be smaller and rounder (globular) than the Lemon. It has a thinner rind and a sweeter and more acidic pulp. Limes, actually contain less vitamin C than lemons.LimeLime plants are characterized by a spiny or thorny stem; green and leathery leaves; small and aromatic white flowers; juicy, oval, small and typically green or yellowish green fruits even when mature.

Limes are low in cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium, and high in dietary fiber, vitamin C, calcium, iron and copper. Limes are low in calories. A tablespoon of lime juice contains about 25 calories. Limes have antioxidant properties: they contain flavonoids called flavanol glycosides. These flavonoids have been shown to stop cell division in many types of cancer cell lines, and also to have antibiotic effects. Lime extracts and essential oils are frequently used in perfumes, cleaning products, and aromatherapy.

Varieties of Lime:There are essentially two species of limes in common use. One is smaller, yellower key lime and other is larger, greener Persian lime. Other limes include the Mandarin lime (Citrus limonia), Kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix), the various Australian limes, sweet lime (Citrus limetta), and Palestine sweet lime (Citrus limettioides).

The name lime is also used for some species that are not part of the Citrus genus, such as Spanish lime (Melicoccus bijugatus), wild lime (Adelia ricinella), and musk lime ( X Citrofortunella mitis).

TahitianLime:

Tahitian Lime (Citrus x latifolia), is the main variety found in American markets. The Tahitian type is known as the Bearss lime in California and the Persian lime in Florida.

It is larger than the Key lime, has virtually no seeds (unlike the Key lime), but it is less aromatic and less flavorful than the Key lime.

Persian lime is generally sold only when it is still a green color (technically it is fully ripe when the skin is pale yellow).

Key Lime:

Key Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle), is also known as the Mexican Lime, West Indies Lime and Bartender’s Lime.

"Key lime" is an American retronym, as the original fruit known in English as a "lime" was Citrus aurantifolia, derived from the Persian name limu (the fruit was introduced to Europe during the Crusaders).

It is smaller and rounder with a thinner, more leathery skin that ranges from light green to yellow and straw yellow flesh, full of small seeds.

This highly-aromatic Key lime is grown in the Florida Keys, Mexico and the West Indies.

It also has a distinct, tart, but less acid, juice than the Persian lime.

Key limes are more sensitive to cold and need more heat to fully develop their flavor. When conditions are right, the fruit becomes highly aromatic and more intensely flavorful than Persian limes.

Culinary uses of lime:
· The use of lime juice and lime zest (the outer, colorful skin of citrus fruit) to enhance the flavor of rice, potatoes, salads, and cooked vegetables. It is a very common ingredient in authentic Mexican and Southwestern American dishes.
· Lime juice is excellent in marinades, beverages, salad dressings, seafood and barbecue sauces, sorbets, jams, and pie.
· It is rich in Vitamin C.
· Dried limes are used as a flavoring in typical Persian cuisines.
· It is the ingredient of soft drink, Sprite etc.

Lemon
The Lemon (Citrus × limon) is a hybrid in cultivated wild plants. Lemon juice is about 5% citric acid, with a pH of 2 to 3, which gives lemons a tart taste.

Lemon trees bloom and ripen fruit every month of the year. The most fruit is produced between January and May. Lemons are usually handpicked when they are about 2½ inches in diameter and still relatively green.

The best lemons have skin of an oily, fine texture and are heavy for their size. This type is more apt to be full of juice, with a minimum of seeds and waste fibers.

The top-five lemon producing countries are the United States, Mexico, Italy, Spain, and India. Lemons are more partial to the subtropical in part because they are quite susceptible to disease if grown in wet climates.

Lemons are high in potassium, vitamin B1, and vitamin C. Lemons aid in digestion and can strengthen resistance.

Culinary uses of lemon:

· Lemon juice is used to marinate the meat before cooking. It partially hydrolyzes the tough collagen fibers in the meat, thus helps in tenderizing meat.
· Fish are marinated in lemon juice. The acid present in lemon juice neutralizes the amines in fish by converting them into nonvolatile ammonium salts thus helps to neutralize the odor of fish.
· When lemon juice is sprinkled on certain foods that tend to oxidize and turn brown after being sliced, such as apples, bananas and avocados. The acid acts as a short-term preservative by denaturing the enzymes that cause browning and degradation.
· The grated rind of the lemon, called lemon zest, is used to add flavor to baked goods, puddings, rice and other dishes.
· Lemons are used to make marmalade, lemonade, and as a garnish for drinks.
· Pickled lemons are a Moroccan delicacy. A liqueur called limoncello is made from lemon rind.

Black Salt

What is Black Salt:
Black Salt is known as Kala Namak in Hindi. It is a special type of unrefined Indian Mineral Salt with a distinctive sulfurous flavor rather like hard boiled egg.

Black salt or Kala Namak is not black, but more a purple-ish/pinkish grey , because of the presence of trace minerals and iron.

It is mined from the volcanic regions of Pakistan and India Black salt is mined in India.

Chemically, black salt is sodium chloride, with iron, sulfurous compounds and trace minerals.

It is not interchangeable with sea salt or table salt because of it's distinct flavor.

Benefits of Black Salt:

According to India's classical medical science, Ayurveda, black salt is full of therapeutic benefits.

Black salt is the most beneficial form of salt because unlike ordinary salt, they don't increase the sodium content of blood and are therefore recommended for patients with high blood pressure and low-salt eating dieters.

It is also a rejuvenator while aiding digestion and improving eyesight. It is said to aid in digestion and soften the bowel.

Black salt is considered a cooling spice in ayurvedic medicine and is used as a laxative .
It is also believed to relieve flatulence and heartburn.

Culinary Use:

Black salt is appreciated by vegans in dishes that mimic the taste of eggs. It is used, for example, to spice tofu to mimic an egg salad

Black Salt is used in Indian cuisine as a condiment and adds its distictive flavour to tangy fresh salads called 'chaats'.

It is also regularly used in small quantities in chutneys, raitas ( yogurt based salads), pickles and many other savory Indian snacks, adding a very different flavor than just using regular salt.

It is sometimes used to flavour tall summer cool drinks like the famous cumin-scented Jal Jeera and Butter Milk.

Eating fresh cut fruits such as apples and bananas after sprinkling black salt makes them more delicious and digestive.

Know about Pulses

Pulses are defined by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) as annual leguminous crops yielding dry grains of variable size, shape and color within a pod.
This therefore excludes green beans and green peas, which are considered vegetable crops. Also excluded are crops that are mainly grown for oil extraction (oil seeds like soybeans and peanuts), and crops which are used exclusively for sowing (clovers, alfalfa).

Protein content
Pulses are 20 to 25% protein by weight, which is double the protein content of wheat and three times that of rice. For this reason, pulses are sometimes called "poor man’s meat". While pulses are generally high in protein, and the digestibility of that protein is also high, they often are relatively poor in the essential amino acid methionine. Grains (which are themselves deficient in lysine) are commonly consumed along with pulses to form a complete protein diet.
Besides providing proteins they fulfill our daily dietary fiber requirement also. Daals have high levels of important minerals like manganese, phosphorous, potassium, iron and copper. They are high in foliates and the B-vitamins like Thiamin.

Health
Pulses have significant nutritional and health advantages for consumers. They are the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities, and in the Seven Countries Study, legume consumption was highly correlated with a reduced mortality from coronary heart disease.

FAO recognizes 11 primary pulses which include Beans, Peas and Lentils. These form a huge part of the Indian diet.

Dal (also spelled dahl, dhal or daal) is a preparation of pulses(dried beans) which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick, spicy stew prepared there from, a mainstay of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi cuisine. Most meals include them and recipes for how to cook them abound. This is not surprising as not only are Daals delicious to eat and versatile, they are really good for us too.

The word Dal derives from the Sanskrit term ‘to split’.
Common varieties of dals are mentioned below:

Toor Dal - Yellow Pigeon Pea :
Pigeon peas are nutritionally important, as they contain high levels of proteins and the important amino acid methionine, lysine and tryptophan. The dried peas may be sprouted briefly, then cooked, for a flavor different from the green or dried peas. In combination with cereals, pigeon peas make a well-balanced human food.

Chana Dal - split Chickpeas without seed coat:
Chana dal is produced by removing the skin of Kala chana ( Bengal Gram) and splitting it. Gram flour is a flour made from ground Chana Dal.

Bengal Gram - Kala Chana :
Desi (small) Chickpeas with brown skins. In the US and Canada the most used variety is called Myles. It is very disease resistant. It is an excellent source of protein and fiber. Sprouting also enhances the digestability of dried Bengal Gram via the reduction of indigestible sugars that would otherwise remain in the cooked dried peas.

Kabuli Chana – Chick Pea :
It is an average size chickpea. It grows naturally with the black coat (not roasted as some believe) and it is said to be nuttier in flavor.

Moong Dal - Green Gram Lentil:
They contain between 19-25% protein, 60%carbs and 4% fiber. They are also containing lysine, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and traces of thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. Sprouting also enhances the digestability of dried Green Gram via the reduction of indigestible sugars that would otherwise remain in the cooked dried Lentil.

Split Moong Dal – Split Green Gram Lentil:

Whole Green Gram is split but skin is not removed so it is rich in fibre. These are easy to digest then the whole Green Gram and take on seasonings and spices very well.

Split Skinned Moong Dal – Split Skinned Green Gram:
Moong Lentil in particular is very easy to digest and take on seasonings and spices very well. Dal is a very comforting food just like chicken soup, contains few oligosaccharides which cause flatulence making them a good choice for children, older adults and when one is not feeling very well as digestive systems are delicate at these times.

Urad Dal - Black Gram Lentil:
Also called Black Beluga Lentils. These lentil-like beans have black skins covering creamy white interiors. Whole urad dal/dahl derives their strong, rich, earthy flavor from the black skins and have an uncanny ability to absorb flavors. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers discovered that the pigment in Beluga black lentils acts like an antioxidant and helps protect against heart disease, cancer, and the aging process in general.

Split Urad Dal - Split Black Gram Lentil:
Whole Black Lentil is split without removing the coat.
These can be used in vegetarian cooking as a meat substitute, these tiny lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber.

Urad Dal (dhuli):

Split Skinned Black Gram Lentil Ivory White Lentils are small, about ½ cm. wide and due to their soft texture, tend to break down during cooking, easily thickening stews and soups. Since they are mild in flavor they do well with more assertive flavorings and are well suited for Eastern and Asian cuisines. Used in vegetarian cooking as a meat substitute, these tiny lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber.

Masoor Dal - Red Lentils:
Lentil is lens shaped seed of a small shrub. They have a mild, earthy flavor and soft texture. They have rusty brown skin which encloses vibrant orange-red colored seeds. Just one cup of cooked Daal can give you as much as 62 per cent of your daily dietary fibre requirement

Split Masoor Dal - Red Lentils:
Orange/Split Red lentils are cooked without soaking and are easy to digest. Since Lentils are mild in flavor they do well with more assertive flavorings and are well suited for Eastern and Asian cuisines.Quick cooking and versatile,
these lentils pair well with tomatoes and kheema/ground red meats, sausages, and may be served on their own as a side dish, or incorporated into soups, stews, salads, and Indian dal.

Rajma Dal - Kidney Beans:
Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars.

Lobia – Black eyed Bean :
Cowpea ( Lobia), is a grain legume grown mainly in the savanna regions of the tropics and subtropics in Africa, Asia, and South America. Cowpea grain contains about 25% protein, making it extremely valuable where many people cannot afford protein foods such as meat and fish.