Vegetables are good in any shape, size, colour and they form a quintessential form of our daily diet. Love it or hate it, vegetables top the list of food items that provide us with our daily dose of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Many of us may have a list of favourite veggies and not-so-favourite ones but we end up relishing them anyways.

When we talk about veggies the recipes that would come immediately to our mind are either – curries, dals, stews and thanks to modern cuisines, vegetable soups, salads and juices are gaining momentum. And in this article, we will reveal you yet another new avatar of veggies – this time in powdered form.

Also Read: COVID-19: Effective Ways To Follow To Keep Vegetables And Groceries Germ-Free

No kidding! If you are a mom of a picky eater or someone constantly worried about including various veggies in your family’s diet and hoping to relish the goodness of all vegetables in one go – pick vegetable flours.

Yep! You heard it right and we are in 2021, anything is possible. We have seen neatly cut, tightly packed vegetables, ready-to-cook ones too but all colourful veggies are now available in the form of flours.

Vegetable flours are the newest food trend, taking the world of mindful and healthy eaters by storm.

Available in various hues, in purest forms sans any extra flavours vegetable flours surely come in handy on a busy day or when you just want to laze around and skip veggie shopping.

What Are Vegetable Flours?

Vegetable flours are nothing but the powder of dehydrated veggies. These flours can be made from yams, broccoli, pumpkin, spinach, squash, green peas, beetroot, potatoes, carrots etc.

How Are Vegetable Flours Made?

• Take your choice of vegetable
• Clean, pat dry and cut into cubes
• Dry in a slow oven, dehydrator or under the sun
• Grind into a fine powder in a mixer
• Store in an airtight container

What Are The Benefits of Vegetable Flours?

Fibre Rich:

Vegetables are rich in healthy soluble fibre that is necessary for good digestion, reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol, trigger metabolic activity and aid in weight loss.

Gluten Free:

If you are one of those with digestive issues and are allergic to gluten-based flours like wheat, rice – go for vegetables flours. These flours are best food choice for those suffering gluten allergies and are easily digestible.

Also Read: Which Is The Healthiest Flour For Weight Loss and Why?

Powerhouse of Nutrients:

Vegetable flours are all good vitamins, minerals, antioxidants packed into one. You can also use a mix of one or two flours in your recipe to derive various benefits of different vegetables.

Low Glycemic Index:

Wheat flour, maida and rice flour are high in glycemic index and can spike the levels of blood sugars in no time. Including vegetable flours in diet not only controls the levels of glucose in blood but also brings down the amount of unhealthy saturated fats in diet.

How To Use Vegetable Flour In Recipes?

Well, vegetable flours can be incorporated into various dishes – desi or world cuisine. For instance, you can make a roti with spinach, beetroot, add it to your waffle or pancake mix to give it a healthy twist. Add a teaspoon of these flours to your cupcake or muffin for those bright coloured, yummy, healthy goodies. The flour also goes well with idli, dosa batter if you are planning to sneak some nutrient rich food into your child’s diet.

Types of Vegetable Flour:

Beetroot Flour:

Bring home beetroot flour for adding that vibrant red colour and natural sweet taste to your recipes. Beetroot flour is loaded with minerals like folate, magnesium, potassium, iron besides vitamin C in ample amounts.

Carrot Flour:

Carrot flour is your staple food for improving eyesight. Around 100 grams of this orange-coloured flour will provide you with 73% of vitamin A, on a daily basis, vitamin K, copious amounts of beta carotene and potassium.

Broccoli Flour:

Broccoli is an ultimate source of protein and has negligible amounts of fat making it an ideal choice for the weightwatchers. Add few table spoons of broccoli flour to your soup to match the nutritional benefits of at least 200 grams of the same, in a vegetable form.

Spinach Flour:

Spinach is available round-the-year, boasts a longlist of nutrients and vitamins than any other green leafy vegetable. Being super rich in vitamin B6, B9 and E, folic acid, iron and calcium it keeps the skin, hair healthy and prevents various chronic health conditions. Roll spinach flour into rotis to relish the goodness of this super food.

Green Peas Flour:

Green peas flour serves the benefits of various pulses and keeps you satiated for a long time, preventing midday hunger pangs. Since this flour is loaded with both protein and fibre, it is good for diabetics as it slows down the process of digestion and averts sudden spike of blood sugars.