“I just listened to your MP3 audio on Tofu and you mentioned that Ayurveda avoids large beans. Would that include garbanzo beans – which are also called chick peas?
Christine C.”
Dear Christine: white garbanzo or chickpeas are not a desirable food item according to the SVA lineage, as they are considered clogging or channel blocking. However, another member of the chickpea family is a good substitute, this is called: “kala chana” or “black” chana. Kala chana carries more “agneya” or metabolic properties, so that is it not clogging but actually supports digestion while it carries all the nutritional benefits of the chickpea – protein, fiber, etc. One recommendation before you use the kala chana bean (available from any Indian grocery store) or the kala chana besan or flour which is highly flavorful as well, be sure to cook them well, you can also soak your kala chana overnight to ensure more thorough cooking, or dry toast your besan before adding to your cooking meals. Stay tuned to our SVA Health YouTube channels where will be featuring many kala chana recipes in the future.
Thank you so much for this valuable information. My husband and I love the golden chick peas we get in the grocery store but we will try to find the black chana and use that instead. We also have been using the triphala ghee you described last week and that has a very refreshing effect to the eyes the morning after we put it on the evening before bed. Thank you again.