Lentils Nutritional Facts & Health Benefits

Lentils Nutritional Facts & Health Benefits

Lentils belongs to the family of legumes and consider as edible seeds. Lentils are available in different colours and sizes and they are good for health. The different colours of availability are brown, green, yellow, red and black. Every different type of lentil have different levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals in it. They are the most inexpensive source of getting enough nutrients for the body. They are full with many B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and potassium. The phytochemicals in lentils are known for protecting against various chronic diseases of heart and type 2 diabetes. Eating lentils supports healthy bowel movement and supports overall gut functions.

Nutritional Value Of Lentils Per 100 grams

  • Calories: 116k.calories
  • Proteins: 9 grams
  • Total fat: 0.4 grams
  • Potassium: 369mg
  • Vitamin B6: 10% of RDA

Health Benefits Of Lentils

  • Lentils are a great source of plant based protein and fibre which is very good for health. They are total 25% of proteins which helps in meeting up protein requirements and can be a healthier alternative to meat.
  • Lentils are low in fats and rich in slow digesting carbohydrates that helps us in keeping full for longer periods of time.
  • Lentils also does contains minerals like iron, calcium, potassium and zinc.
  • In order to achieve the weight loss goal lentils are quite helpful as they contains proteins and fibre in them. Both of these nutrients are ideal for weight loss.
  • According to the analysis of American Journal Of Nutrition which was published in May 2016.  It says that when one serving of legumes we include to diet each day it helps in losing weight. It also suggests that legumes helps in  weight control without reducing the overall calorie intake.
  • The Journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism (APNM) reported in 2011 that appetite Lowering effect is found in lentils. Lentils increases the fullness of the meal and leaves us satiated for long.
  • This way it helps in reducing the overall calorie intake of the meal which significantly helps in weight loss.
  • Lentils also does help in fighting against food cravings. Lentils are low In glycemic index that helps in keeping the blood sugar levels stable.
  • The fibre content of lentils helps us In keeping us full and helps in meeting up to 20 to 30% of fibre intake. The Fibre also helps in lowering the cholesterol levels and gives relieves against gut problems especially constipation.
  • 1 cup of cooked lentils provides about 8 grams of proteins along with providing 20 essential amino acids which are required for the body.

Healthy Receipe With Lentils

Low calorie lentils soup receipe

Soak about 2 tablespoon of moong dal, red masoor dal and 2 tablespoon of towar dal. Wash them well and soak for about 30 minutes. In a pressure cooker add in soaked lentils, one tomato, two carrots along with salt and black pepper to it. Give about 2 whistles and wait till pressure releases. Mash well and add about 2 cups of water to adjust the consistency of soup. Give it a boil and your healthy lentils soup is ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does lentils reduce belly fat?
  • As lentils are rich in proteins they leaves a thermic effect on the body. The thermic effect promotes fat burning process which helps in losing fat from body apart from providing satiety.

  • Which lentils are best for fat loss?
  • Green moong is packed with fibre. It also contains proteins which helps in weight loss. Horse gram lentils helps us in keeping us full and speed up the weight loss process.

  • Can I eat lentils every day?
  • Yes, lentils can be eaten every day. A single serving of lentils provide about 20 to 30 grams of fibre. Also lentils helps in lowering cholesterol and protects against diabetes and cancer.

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