When we think of summer and the best way to accompany a conversation with friends and maybe a beer, a word comes to many of us: lupins!
But is the so-called “seafood of the poor” a good option? Or should we have other alternatives?
Lupine is very typical of the Mediterranean area and also of Latin America.
The Romans used them a lot and they were a sign of wealth. It is believed that they were the ones who spread lupine around the world.
Interested in the nutritional composition of lupine?
This food is a legume such as grain, beans, peas.
It is very low in calories (66% of its weight is water), which is an advantage for those who cannot eat just a few.
At the same time, due to its protein (17%) and fiber (5%) content, it is a very filling food.
Mixed with cereal it’s a great way to get quality protein in vegetarian meals.
It has very little fat and the fat it does have is good (similar to olive oil). It has some minerals like calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins like folic acid.
In terms of health, in addition to their nutritional composition, which is good, lupines seem to have beneficial effects in terms of intestinal functioning (due to their fiber content), glycemic control and cholesterol reduction.
The only drawback of lupine can be circumvented
The only nutritional drawback of lupine as we know it is the salt content. But the good news is that dried lupine doesn’t have a lot of salt.
This is added after the necessary cooking.
We should not eat dry lupine as it is toxic.
It is rich in alkaloids which are toxic substances that impart a bitter taste.
Therefore, it is necessary to cook it in order to inactivate enzymes and pass it through several waters so that the bitter taste disappears.
This treatment is done industrially, so the most common thing is to find the product already cooked and preserved in brine.
A trick to get around the amount of salt is to rinse the lupines under running water or soak them for a few seconds before eating.
Bake your own lupines:
Buy a dried lupine and soak it in water overnight. Then boil it in new water for twenty minutes.
Cooling down, place in a bowl of clean water that should be changed two to three times a day for five or more days.
When they are no longer bitter, they can be kept for a long time in the fridge in regularly renewed water seasoned with salt.
Try seasoning with garlic and/or aromatic herbs such as oregano or bay leaf.
You can even mix, for example, pepper strips.
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