7 shocking health benefits of Lentils

Discover the 7 shocking health benefits of Lentils.

Lentils are considered the dried fruits of legumes, among them, we find chickpeas, lentils, and beans, in this specific opportunity we will talk about the benefits of lentils, these are originally from Southwest Asia, for more than 10,000 years they were cultivated and consumed in the Euphrates area.

At present, lentils have become one of the grains that are mostly consumed in the whole world, from the Egyptians, through the Greeks and Romans, lentils were considered one of the most essential foods, and today they continue to be part of the Mediterranean diet.

These have the particular characteristics of being very easy to cook, and we can use them in endless recipes, such as salads, purees, hummus, croquettes, hamburgers, in without we cannot imagine the number of meals that we can enjoy with these delicious legumes, However, this time we will talk about some benefits of lentils for our health and physical well-being.

7 Health Benefits Of Lentils That Improve Your Physical Well-Being.

Health benefits of lentils

We can count on a myriad of hidden health benefits in lentils, however, this time we will talk about seven that perhaps you did not know, which will make you start considering adding this legume to your daily diet from now on.

1.- low in cholesterol.

One of the properties of lentils is that they are very helpful in reducing blood cholesterol levels, thanks to their high amount of fiber.

Lowering cholesterol is important to reduce the risk of diseases related to the heart and also to avoid suffering from strokes because it keeps arteries clean.

2.- Cardiovascular health.

Much scientific research has shown that eating foods high in fiber, such as lentils, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases:

Lentils are advisable to reduce the risk of suffering from the heart, in addition to being considered a rich source of folic acid and magnesium, which is why they are highly recommended for the whole family.

Folate is known to reduce homocysteine, which is known to be a serious risk factor for heart disease, magnesium is known to improve blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients in the body. Having low levels of magnesium makes us more prone to heart disease.

3.- Digestive health.

The dietary fiber found in lentils is very helpful in preventing annoying constipation and other types of digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or diverticulitis, so you can add lentils to your meals at least three times per week.

4.- Stabilizes blood glucose.

The attributes of fiber are many, but we can say that one of the most important is found in the improvement of intestinal digestion, which undoubtedly allows the improvement of blood sugar peaks.

This is significantly beneficial for those suffering from diabetes, insulin resistance, or hypoglycemia.

5.- High protein content.

Of all the nuts that we can find in nature, lentils can be said to be the third food with the highest amount of protein, even every 100 gr is a large amount of protein.

It can be said that 25% of the calories in a lentil are thanks to the proteins in it; which makes it a great source of protein for people who are vegetarians or vegans.

6.- Source of energy.

Lentils are considered a great source of energy, thanks to the large number of complex carbohydrates they have.

For this reason, they are considered an essential food for athletes, in addition, one of the properties of lentils is their high iron value, which helps transport oxygen throughout the body and is essential for energy production and increasing metabolism in our body.

7.- Weight loss.

Lentils are not only rich in beneficial nutrients, in addition to fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins, they have the particularity of being very low in fat, they even have almost nothing and are low in calories, which can translate into a cup of cooked lentils has an average of 230 calories and 0 fat, but still can leave us satisfied and full for a long time, which is why they become perfect allies for weight loss.

Vitamins and minerals are hidden in lentils.

One of the benefits of lentils is that they have a large amount of molybdenum, specifically about 148 mcg, which is equivalent to 198% of the recommended amount per day, they have the characteristic of being a rich source of iron, even when consumed you are providing your body with the 37% necessary in the daily intake, and 49% of magnesium that you require in the day.

These, in the same way, provide more than 10% of potassium, copper, phosphorus, and zinc, in less quantity we can find calcium and selenium.

It can be said that in a cup of lentils 358 mcg of folic acid can be found, which is equal to say 90% of the recommended value in a day; the vitamins that we can find in lentils are vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12, in addition to choline and vitamin C, K, and E.

Contraindications of lentils.

In the case of those who suffer from gout or kidney stones, the consumption of these legumes is not highly recommended, since they have a good amount of purines, a compound that is harmful to this type of people.

Purines can represent a problem since they break down into uric acid, which is a substance that can turn into kidney stones and create crystals in the joints, this happens if it is not expelled from the body in a normal way.

It is important to emphasize that purines of plant origin are less likely to cause these problems than animal purines found in red meat or fish.

How to get protein from lentils.

Green and pink lentils, in particular, are an excellent replacement for red meat, and other foods of animal origin, however, it is important that you have another source of protein apart from lentils.

Since they lack essential amino acids such as methionine and the non-essential amino acid such as cysteine.

Lentils are considered incomplete proteins, so when consuming them it is recommended to do it accompanied by other cereals such as rice or other types of foods with methionine, to obtain the complete protein necessary for the proper functioning of our body.

The benefits of nature can be of great help to be able to use them not only for our beauty but also for our health, do not stop visiting us and discover more medicinal and cosmetic benefits of plants, we will read until the next post.