What is lentils nutrition?
Lentils are legumes and they are seeds, which we can eat. They are rich in fibre, B vitamins & are a good source of plant based protein.
They are different colours, here are the most popular;
Brown – these are eaten the most, they are good in soups & stews, keep thier shape in cooking & have an ‘earthy’ flavour.
Yellow and red – these cook quickly & are split. Often they are used in dahl & taste sweet & nutty
Puy – named after the french area they come from ‘Le Puy’, these look like green lentils, but are smaller and taste like pepper.
Green -these are different sizes and can be used as a less expensive alternative to Puy.
Beluga-these look like caviar, being black & small, they are good in salads.
Here’s some great little nutrition, wellness & exercise tips
What’s in lentils nutrition?
Lentils are often forgotton about, but they’re pretty cheap & pack quite a punch in the nutrition stakes.
They’re a great way of ‘getting in’ plant based protein & many vegans will eat them for this reason, as well as containing B vitamins, potassium, magnesium & zinc. They’re also a good source of iron, high in fibre & can be used in lots of different recipies.
Here’s what a cup of cooked lentils will give you (this differs slightly depending on which type of lentil, but is a rough guide);
230 Calories
39.9gms Carbs
17.9gms Protein
0.8gms Fat
15.6gms Fibre
90% Vitamin B9 (Folate ) of Recommended Daily Amount (RDA)
55% Copper RDA
43% Manganese RDA
37% Iron RDA
28% Vitmain B8 (Thiamine) RDA
28% Phosphorus RDA
25% Vitamin B5 (Panthothentic acid) RDA
23% Zinc RDA
21% Vitamin B6
17% Magnesium RDA
16% Potassium RDA
13% Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
What are the benefits of lentil nutrition?
The high fibre in lentils helps the growth of ‘good’ gut bacteria, as well as assisting regular bowel movements.
Lentils contain phytochemicals (Polyphenols), which are thought to have antioxidants, anti-inflammatory & protective properties.
They may also help in lowering blood sugar levels, as well as reducing risks of heart disease, although more research is needed.
Lentils do contain anitnutrients, which can negavtively affect the absorbtion of other nutrients. Some of these can be offset by soaking lentils overnight & cooking them for long enough.
But don’t worry , you will still get most of the healthy benefits from your lentil nutrition.
Recipies for lentils nutrition
Lentils are super easy to prepare & cook. Rinse them before cooking & consider soaking them overnight to get the most benefits from them, as well as giving them enough cooking time.
You can batch cook them, saving time & making meal prep easier, they will last for about 5 days in your fridge. This makes them easy to go & you can add them to lots of dishes (see below).For cooking times follow the directions on the label (split ones take about 5-10 minutes, other taking around 20-30 minutes).
1.They are delicious in lentil rissoles
2.Add them to your salads
3.Add to curries
4.Use in place of some of your beef mince in chillies or bologneses
5.Add & stir into pasta sauces
6.Use them in soups or stews
7.Use in hoummus
8.Add to scrambled eggs or omelettes
What’s your favourite recipe ? I would love to know.
Claire x
