Eating lentils is good for your health because it is a food rich in vitamins and minerals and has only 93 calories in each 100-gram serving. Despite being consumed more often at New Year's Eve supper, for example, lentils can be consumed as bean substitutes on a daily basis throughout the year.
However, the price of lentils varies between 4 and 6 reais in packages of 500 g, which is more expensive than beans and should be avoided by those with high uric acid, being a food that increases the purines, which can cause gout attacks.
Why eat lentils
Despite being rich in carbohydrates, lentils can be prepared without adding fats, thus making it a great meal for a slimming diet. It can then be concluded that the 7 main benefits of eating lentils include:
- Help lower cholesterol - because they have insoluble fibers that decrease the absorption of fats. Detoxify the body - regulating the intestine and, therefore, clean the intestines by absorbing toxins. Decrease Premenstrual Tension - as they contain a substance called lignans, which has an action similar to female hormones like estrogens that help to reduce PMS symptoms. Fight diabetes - because despite having a lot of carbohydrates, they have a lot of fiber and prevent sugar from raising too much blood. Prevent and treat anemia - a food rich in iron, recommended especially for vegetarians who tend to develop anemia. Help prevent cancer - because in addition to being rich in fibers that lower the risk of colon cancer, they have antioxidants that protect the body's cells. Improve bone health - in addition to having calcium, it contains isoflavones that help produce important hormones to strengthen bones.
In addition, lentils are rich in zinc, which helps to strengthen the immune system and are very good for treating anemia because they have a lot of iron and, in addition, their high amount of fiber improves intestinal transit and relieves constipation and the swelling of the belly.
How to make lentils
Lentils can be made like beans, so just cover the lentils with water and cook for 30 minutes. So, to make a quick and nutritious soup, just cook the dried lentils together with carrots, celery and onion, for example, and eat in the form of soup or together with rice.
There are several types of lentils, but normally all types should be soaked so that they produce less intestinal gas, just like beans.
Lentils can be green, brown, black, yellow, red and orange, containing different consistencies and becoming firmer or softer after cooking. For this reason, orange lentils, as they are soft and pasty, are generally used in the babies' feeding, however, it is necessary to put them in a sauce, so as not to cause constipation or colic in the baby.
Lentil nutritional information
| Components | Amount per 100 g of cooked lentils |
| Energy | 93 calories |
| Proteins | 6.3 g |
| Fats | 0.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16.3 g |
| Fibers | 7.9 g |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.03 mcg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Potassium | 220 mg |
| Copper | 0.17 mg |
| Zinc | 1.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 22 mg |
| Manganese | 0.29 mg |
| Calcium | 16 mg |
| Phosphor | 104 mg |
| Iron | 1.5 mg |
Recipe with lentils
A delicious and easy recipe to make with lentils is the warm potato and lentil salad.
Ingredients
- 85 g of lentils450 g of new potatoes6 green onions1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegarSalt and pepper
Method of preparation
Place the lentils in a pan with boiling water for 20 minutes, remove the lentils from the water and set aside. In another pan put the potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes, remove and cut in half for a bowl. Add the sliced onions and lentils to the potatoes. Finally, add the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Check out the following video on how to prepare the lentil burger:
