Solar System – Outer Planets
5 Minutes
Cereals and pulses for kids: learn how grains and lentils are classified, processed, and used in cooking. A short science lesson in English.
- How raw rice and boiled rice are processed from paddy
- Cereals like wheat, ragi, and corn and the nutrients they provide
- Pulses like green gram, urad dal, chickpeas, and beans
What this lesson teaches
Cereals and pulses are two major groups of food staples, dividing everyday ingredients into energy-rich grains and nutrient-dense lentils. Cereals like rice, wheat, and millets supply carbohydrates and starch for physical strength, while pulses like grams, beans, and peas supply the body with proteins and carbohydrates.
How rice is processed
- Paddy harvested from fields is dried and sent to a rice mill for cleaning.
- In the mill, brown rice is separated from the paddy and polished to make white raw rice (pacharisi).
- Boiled rice (puzhungal arisi) is made by heating paddy in water and drying it before sending it to the mill.
- Both raw and boiled rice are cereals that supply large amounts of carbohydrates for bodily energy.
Common cereals and grains
- Wheat is used as whole grain or ground into atta flour to make chapatis, wheat dosas, and bread, offering carbohydrates for strength.
- Ragi (kezhvaragu) is a reddish-maroon grain packed with carbohydrates and fibers, used to make porridge, malt, ragi dosa, and upma.
- Corn (makka cholam) is a grain rich in starch and carbohydrates that is used to make popcorn.
- Kambu is a grain cereal that is commonly cooked into porridge.
Common pulses and dals
- Green gram is a green-colored pulse rich in protein that is cooked into dishes like sundal.
- Pigeon peas contain low fat while providing both proteins and carbohydrates.
- Black gram (urad dal) has a black outer skin that turns white when peeled, provides protein that strengthens the hips, and is used to prepare idli and vada.
- Chickpeas (konda kadalai) provide carbohydrates and proteins, and are commonly used to make chana masala and sundal.
Beans and peas
- Kidney beans come in two varieties, red kidney beans (sivappu karamani) and white kidney beans (vellai karamani), both containing proteins and carbohydrates.
- Double beans (irattai beans) are nutritious pulses commonly cooked into gravies.
- Green peas (pattani) are pulses that supply both proteins and carbohydrates, and are frequently used in snacks like pani puri.