Cereals vs Pulses: Understand the Difference Between Cereals and Pulses

Everyone like to be in good shape and stay fit and healthy. To achieve this, we go through a list of healthy food options and overlook the gems we have in our Indian pantry. Here we have two-star ingredients, cereals and pulses that assist you in keeping fit and active in the best way. Cereals and pulses fall under the list of essential food groups that form a significant part of our diet worldwide. Both cereals and pulses are rich sources of nutrients and are a staple food for many cultures. However, despite their similarities, cereals and pulses have significant differences in their characteristics, nutritional value, and uses. Understanding the differences between these two food groups can help you make informed decisions about your diet and lead a healthier lifestyle. In this article, we will discuss the key differences between cereals and pulses.

Learn the Difference Between Cereals and Pulses

Cereals and pulses are both loved and are cooked on a daily basis in every household. They are widely consumed for their nutritional value. Both cereals and pulses are essential sources of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates in the human diet. However, there are significant differences between these two types of crops in terms of their nutritional content, physical appearance, and culinary uses. Below we have enlisted cereals and pulses chart with names to help you understand their differences better.

Definition

Cereals — Cereal is a food made from grains, including wheat, oats, rice, corn, or barley. It is often consumed as a breakfast food and can be served cold with milk or yoghurt or hot with milk or water. Cereal can also be eaten as a snack or used as an ingredient in baking. Cereals can come in many different forms, including flakes, puffs, granola, and clusters, and can be flavoured or sweetened with various ingredients such as honey, sugar, or fruit.

Pulses — Pulses are a kind of leguminous crop that is harvested for its edible seeds. The list of pulses includes beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas. These crops are known for their high protein content, making them an important source of protein for many people around the world, particularly in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Also Read — Types of Pulses

Nutrients

Cereals — Cereals contain some key nutrients that work actively in boosting health. The nutrients it contains are carbohydrates, Fiber, B Vitamins, Iron, Magnesium, and zinc.

Pulses — Everyone knows pulses are the powerhouse of nutrients. The staple comes with a bundle of vital nutrients that includes protein, fiber, Carbohydrates, iron, potassium, and magnesium.

Ideal Portion in a Day

Cereals — For children, consuming 25–30 grams of cereals is suggested, whereas in adults, 30–45 grams of cereals are considered healthy.

Also Read — Types of Cereals

Pulses — Doctors recommend consuming 100g of cooked pulses in a day for an average adult. For children, it is said to have 50g of cooked pulses in a day.

Cultivated in

Cereals — Cereals are not a single crop; they combine wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats, sorghum and rye.

• Wheat is produced in China, India, the United States, Russia, France, Canada and Australia.
• Rice is cultivated in China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Africa, and Latin America.
• Corn is considered an essential cereal crop and is grown in China, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Mexico.
• Barley is a crop which needs cooler regions to be cultivated. Therefore countries like Europe, North America and Australia are chief barley producers.
• Oats are primarily grown in North America, Europe, and Russia.
• Rye is another essential cereal crop which requires cooler regions for its cultivation. The crop grows in countries like Europe and North America.
• Sorghum grows in Africa, Asia, Australia, and the United States.

Pulses — Pulses are grown worldwide, but some major pulse-producing countries include India, Canada, China, Myanmar, Australia, and the United States. In India, states like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan fall under the main cultivators of Pulses.

Also Read : Weight Gain food list

Significant Benefits of Cereals

• Safeguards heart from any diseases.
• Keep a healthy sugar level
• Promotes healthy bowel movement
• Assists in weight management
• Good Source of Fiber.

Significant Benefits of pulses

• Helps to control the appetite
• Good for heart health
• Might lower blood sugar level
• Ideal food option during pregnancy
• Great source of nutrients

Best Time to Eat

Cereals — Health Experts suggest consuming cereals in the morning. This is because it provides a great blend of carbohydrates, protein and fat to kickstart your day.

Pulses — They are a rich source of protein as well as are counted among complex food that takes time to get digested. It is best to have them for breakfast or lunch.

Examples

Cereals — Rice, wheat, corn, barley, sorghum and maize are all cereals examples.

Pulses — Dry beans, chickpeas, cowpeas, and lentils are pulses examples.

The Bottom Line

With the increasing fitness craze, the love for healthy food has spread like fire over the last few years. Today we have discussed the two most nutritional and healthy food options, which are cereal and pulses. Both are superfoods and come with tones of nutrients in them. One of the notable difference between cereals and pulses are cereals are produced in large numbers than pulses, the reason being they have a high concentration of carbohydrates. On one side, bowls of cereal are ideal to have during the morning to kickstart the day on a nutritious note, whereas pulses are best for lunch. In the list of cereals, there is rice, wheat, barley, etc., whereas in the list of pulses, dry beans, chickpeas, cowpeas and more. Above