8 super Benefits of Dalia, Bulgur Wheat, Broken Wheat, Lapsi

Dalia, Broken wheat has been since years a part of Middle Eastern cuisine, the most famous delicacy being Tabbouleh. Recently, with its well-known health benefits being known to a many of us, it has gained some place in Indian cuisine too. This type of wheat, also called as bulgur wheat or sometimes even cracked wheat, is most commonly used to make a one dish meal – khichdi. Upma, kheer, salad, adai, idli are a few more delicacies crafted from bulgur wheat. Low in fat and high in fiber is the nutrition quality that makes this grain a healthy dietary choice.

Bulgur Wheat Pancakes

Call it dalia, broken wheat or bulgur wheat

It’s Nutrient Profile is very neat,

Control Diabetes, Control Heartbeat

Osteoporosis and Anemia it can beat,

Go ahead and whip up a treat

½ cup is all you need to eat.

8 reasons why Dalia, Broken Wheat are good for Indians.

1. Fibre in Dalia, Broken Wheat Aids in Managing Diabetes 1.3 g of fibre is what ½ a cup of raw broken wheat provides. It’s high is fiber count when compared to wheat, as the former retains some of the bran in processing. This high fiber can prevent those unwanted spikes in blood sugar levels which is said to be unsafe for people diagnosed with diabetes. Try the famous South Indian Style Adai made using this grain, which is perfectly suitable for diabetics. It is devoid of rice. 

Adai

2. Iron in Dalia, Broken Wheat Overcomes Fatigue and Anaemia : With ½ cup of dalia, broken wheat fulfilling nearly about 1/5^th of your daily requirement of iron (3.7 mg), broken wheat works towards maintaining the haemoglobin count. A good level of iron store in the body will always ensure to keep anemia at bay as well as overcome and / or avoid symptoms like weakness and fatigue, since it functions in smooth supply of oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. Bulgur Wheat and Matki Pulao makes use of 2 main ingredients - bulgur wheat and matki which are a good source of iron. A serving of this Bulgur Wheat and Matki Pulao fulfils 12% of days requirement of iron. 

 Bulgur Wheat and Matki Pulao

3. Magnesium in Dalia, Broken Wheat Helps Maintain Normal heartbeat : Apart from leafy vegetables and nuts, cereals are also a very good source of magnesium. Dalia, Broken wheat is one good source of magnesium amongst the cereal category which helps to maintain a regular heartbeat. The high fiber further assists in controlling the levels of cholesterol too, thus reducing the risk of strokes. Vegetable Bulgur Wheat Khichdi is a delicacy which replaced dalia with rice. The salt also has been added in restricted amounts so it is beneficial for people with high BP too. 

 Vegetable Bulgur Wheat Khichdi, Low Salt Recipe

4. Potassium in Dalia, Broken Wheat is Beneficial to Control Hypertension : Potassium is known as a vasodilator – it helps to maintain the pressure in the arteries and blood vessels. 41.4% of RDA (195 mg) from ½ cup of raw bulgur wheat is enough a reason to add it to your daily meal to keep blood pressure under control. Worried about how to create delicious delicacies with restricted quantity of salt using this bland bulgur wheat? Try our specially designed recipe with minimum salt like Bulgur Wheat Pongal is sure to please your palate. 

 Bulgur Wheat Pongal, Low Salt Recipe

5. High Fibre, Low Fat in Dalia, Broken Wheat Assists in Weight Loss : This grain has the ability to swell enough after cooking, which along with its fiber count will keep you full for long hours and avoid bingeing on junk snacks in between meals. Additionally bulgur wheat doesn’t contribute much fat (1.2 g per ½ cup). What you can do is cook the grain, toss in some veggies for some antioxidants and toss it with a olive oil or lemon juice dressing to create a completely healthy vegetarian bowl. Want to try this combo? Try Black Bean and Bulgur Wheat Salad.

 Black Bean and Bulgur Wheat Salad

6. Minerals in Dalia, Broken Wheat Builds Strong Bones : Bones are the backbone of our body. We are aware that with age our bone mineral density decreases and we need a good dose of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium to maintain the health of our bones. Dalia is one such grain which provides a good source of each of these 3 key nutrients. While calcium and phosphorus form the basis for building bones, potassium aids by assisting in calcium absorption and conserving its levels in the body. Lapsi Methi Muthia is a pleasing snack to make with bulgur wheat. Being steamed it is a good substitute to fried snacks. 

 Lapsi Methi Muthia, Dalia Bajra Methi Muthia

7. Protein in Dalia, Broken Wheat Speeds Growth : Dalia supplies 6.1 g of protein in about ½ cup. This good dose of protein is a boon especially for vegetarians for growth and development of all cells and tissues. This would serve as a health option for kids in growing stage and women in their pre-conception or gestational stage. Protein has other functions to perform too. It is needed by the body for bone strength, as a part of visual cycle and many other metabolic activities. So do not miss out on adding it at least once in 2 to 3 days to your meals. Try interesting recipe like Broken Wheat Upma so you are not easily bored of adding this grain to your diet.

Broken Wheat Upma

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8. B Vitamins in Broken Wheat Supports Energy Metabolism : Thiamin (34.3% of RDA), Riboflavin (4.2% of RDA) and Niacin (17.1% of RDA) are B vitamins that broken wheat provides. Do you know that these B vitamins are key nutrients which together to promote energy metabolism providing your body cells with much needed energy. Separately, thiamin helps produce RBC and Niacin functions in improving skin and brain health too. Fada ni Khichdi is a one dish meal to make up for all these vitamins at one go. 

Fada ni KhichdiFada ni Khichdi

Course-wise Recipe Ideas with Dalia, Broken Wheat

1. Breakfast – Porridge, Upma, Idli, Pancakes

2. Lunch – Salad, Pita Pocket, Risotto, Pulao

3. Snacks – Adai, Tikki, Burger, Muthia

4. Dinner – Khichdi, Paratha

Broken Wheat Salad with Chick Peas and Roasted Pepper ( Soups and Salads )

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Nutrition Facts of Dalia, Broken Wheat, Bulgur Wheat

½ Cup of raw Dalia, Broken Wheat is about 75 grams

RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy - 267 calories

Protein – 6.1 g

Carbohydrate – 57.9 g

Fat – 1.2 g

Fiber – 1.3 g

Paneer and Broken Wheat Patties in Whole Wheat Pita Pocket

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See full nutritional details of Dalia in Dalia, Broken Wheat glossary