Dolikhos

The current trend towards healthy living has helped many forgotten products to re-enter the market. Little-known local superfoods have also become widespread, among them dolichos. It is a leguminous plant that is popular in Asia and East Africa, but the whole world has something to learn from the ancient culture.

What is dolichos known for, will the body feel the benefits of its use, and is it worth spending time looking for a food product?

What you need to know about the plant

Dolichos (an alternative name is kokornik) is a genus of climbing plants that belong to the legume family. The natural habitat of culture is tropical and subtropical regions of Asia / East Africa. The genus dolichos includes about 70 species of leguminous plants. Previously, the eukaryote lobia (an alternative name is hyacinth / Egyptian beans) was considered to be a dolichos genus.

This is a herbaceous, predominantly climbing plant that is also included in the legume family. Over time, the taxonomy has changed, and the dolichos vulgaris or dolichos lablab became lobia. It is important to note that these are two different plants that are united by one family.

Botanical description

Dolichos develops as a perennial creeper. Its average length is from 3 to 4 meters. In special cases, creepers grow to 10 meters or more. Inflorescences are formed from multi-flowered brushes. In separate sections of lianas, real clusters of muffled colored flowers form. The palette of shades is very multifaceted: dolichos flowers can be white, yellow or purple. Large flowers are endowed with the function of self-pollination, so they do not have to wait for outside help to spread the family. This can explain the abundance of dolichos in its natural habitat.

Over time, beans form from the flowers. They contain from 2 to 4 seeds. The beans themselves are wide, slightly flattened and pointed by a beak-shaped tip. Dolichos seeds develop in the form of an ellipse, are slightly flattened and crowned with a characteristic scar.

Useful properties of the ingredient

Regular consumption of beans has a general anti-inflammatory effect on the human body. The product strengthens the protective function of the immune system, improves metabolic processes, regulates heart rate, blood pressure and health during the day.

The seeds of the plant are a real storehouse of balanced proteins, useful nutrients such as iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, ascorbic acid and B vitamins. The beans concentrate natural antioxidants that protect the body from heart disease and cancer. Dolichos starts the natural process of cleansing from toxins and toxins – detoxification. The liver and kidneys are responsible for detoxing our body. Due to the additional supply of nutrients from quality food, the detox goes smoothly and does not need to be assisted by diets, special medications and cleansing products.

Beans have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. They eliminate problems with the work of the intestines, colic, nausea, slow metabolism, gas formation. Another important benefit is the control of glucose and “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood. Regular use of dolichos can really harmonize their concentration, which leads to smooth weight loss, skin cleansing and toning the body.

Dolichos belong to the group of slow carbohydrates. The body has to spend a large amount of time and energy in order to absorb the product and convert it into energy. What does it give:

• prolonged saturation and rejection of harmful snacks between main meals;
• the breakdown of more subcutaneous fat;
• greater energy reserves for training, work, study and walks;
• a decrease in the rate of food ingress into the blood, which eliminates sudden jumps in insulin.

The plant is used in alternative medicine in China. Locals believe that dolichos can cure a person of alcoholism.

An alcoholic must eat beans daily to form an aversion to alcohol. Local people also believe that decoction from a plant can affect female reproductive function. Dolichos helps normalize the menstrual cycle, cure internal inflammatory processes and contribute to a successful conception process.

Acid-base balance

This is a constant ratio of acid and alkali in the internal environment of the human body. If the balance is shifted in one direction or another, then we get gastritis, flatulence, heartburn and more serious diseases.

What is the acid-base balance for? It affects metabolic processes and directly on digestion. Both acid and alkali are ingested with food. Then alkali neutralizes acid and promotes the absorption of nutrients.

To maintain a balance in the norm, it is necessary to use alkaline and acidic products in a ratio of 3: 1 (an advantage over alkaline).

Dolichos refers to acidic foods. Legumes contain a lot of protein and a minimal amount of water. Most often, beans go through several stages of processing (primary industrial cleaning and cooking), during which the grain loses part of the fiber.

The main function of acid products is the activation of enzymes to break down protein structures. Also, the acid is responsible for the bactericidal function. Without an acidic environment, pathogenic microflora will actively multiply inside a person, activating infections and depressing immunity. That is why it is necessary to rationally allocate resources and not give up the rationed consumption of acidic foods. Keep the 3:1 ratio in mind and try to diversify your diet with vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, and plenty of filtered liquids.

Use component in cooking

The plant has gained unprecedented popularity in the Indian culinary tradition. There, the beans are subjected to various heat treatments, added to salads, soups, side dishes and even sweet desserts. Dolichos is a neutral product that absorbs pronounced flavors and aromas from the additional ingredients of the dish – spices, spices, sauces, sweet / bitter / sour fruits and vegetables.

Toxins are concentrated in dry beans. They are destroyed during the heat treatment, so carefully monitor the readiness of the dish and refuse to taste the raw product.

The average cooking time of dolichos, like other beans, is at least an hour and a half. To reduce cooking time, you can pre-soak the beans.

Why soak the beans

Soaking is necessary to improve bioavailability – the presence of beneficial nutrients and the ability of the human body to absorb them in full. Unprocessed grains have a minimal level of bioavailability. They are considered blocked, and their main biological role is to protect the seed from germination.

Scientists believe that a low bioavailability threshold prevents both humans and animals from fully assimilating a food product.

Bioavailability is a protective mechanism of plants, which was formed by nature itself. Inhibitors are concentrated in the basis of seeds, slowing down chemical reactions. They belong to a class of antinutrients that not only protect dolichos, but also adversely affect the living organism that will eat the plant. Antinutrients include fermentation inhibitors, phytic acid, and lectins.

The main advantages of soaking dolichos:

• increasing the nutritional properties of the product (prolonged exposure to liquids deactivates phytic acid, which prevents the human body from absorbing nutrients and increases the volume of zinc, folic acid, calcium, iron, proteins);
• reducing the risk of inflammation and facilitating the digestion process (soaking eliminates possible allergic reactions and intestinal disorders due to slower fermentation / breakdown of antinutrients);
• preventing the development of insulin adhesions (this occurs due to a decrease in the concentration of natural sugar in legumes);
• filling with vital energy and vibrations (soaking starts special biochemical processes in the grains – they begin to “awaken” and form a full-fledged plant).

How to soak dolichos? Sort the beans, place them in a convenient container and fill with water. The volume of liquid should be at least 2 times the volume of the beans. To speed up the process, you can add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the water – in an acidic environment, the deactivation of antinutrients will accelerate.

Cover the container with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 12 hours. After that, drain the liquid, rinse the dolichos thoroughly and start cooking. If you want to achieve the maximum level of bioavailability, germinate the grains after soaking. The resulting sprouts can be eaten.

How to grow dolichos

The key to a successful harvest of dolichos is the correct sequence. The plant is planted at the beginning of the season, when the earth has already warmed up enough. The main thing is not to damage dolichos. Minimal damage affects the biochemical processes of the plant – a defective root system will not allow it to grow and form the required number of beans. Culture loves a warm climate and requires an abundance of sunlight. Make sure the plant receives enough UV light – do not plant it near buildings or massive trees that will block access.

It is best to plant dolichos in the ground on which vegetables previously grew.

Landing is carried out in February or March – this is the most favorable time. The average distance between the holes should be at least 20 centimeters. Before planting, the seeds are soaked for 24 hours or more. The first shoots are formed on the 8-10th day. After the appearance of four leaves (at the top), side shoots begin to grow. They form a kind of carpet around the plant.

Culture needs plentiful daily watering. In the hot season, agronomists recommend watering more often. Next to each bush, it is necessary to form a support and tie the formed stems to it with thick threads. Support is necessary for proper growth and rational distribution of weight dolichos. For top dressing, it is recommended to alternate nitrogenous, potash and complex fertilizers 1 time in 2-4 weeks.