Lentils are one of the oldest foods that people successfully cultivate. She was held in high esteem by the ancient Egyptian pharaohs, by the Babylonian nobility, and to ordinary people she always replaced meat and bread. The benefits of using this product are so great that lentils can become a source of fiber, high-quality protein, minerals and vitamins with regular use. She has several more advantages, which we will talk about later. Low fat content, good glycemic index and low calorie boiled lentils make it indispensable in the diet.
Varieties of lentils
This plant belongs to the legume family, as well as beans and peanuts. It is cultivated in many countries, so there are quite a few varieties of it. On the shelves of the store you can find orange, green, black and gold lentils. Regardless of color, it has excellent levels of nutrients. The color of the grains does not affect the taste.
Green lentils contain slightly more dietary fiber and protein and are superior to other varieties in these indicators. But overall it is a very useful product. Each variety has its own delicate, specific taste. Brown lentils are mainly used for making soups. Boiled green fruits are added to salads. Red lentils are often used in sauces and mashed potatoes.
Nutritional value and calorie content
The peculiarity of this product is that in the presence of a large amount of nutrients lentils are practically free of fat. 100 grams contains about 53 g of carbohydrates, 35 g of protein, not more than 2 g of fat, 4.5 g of minerals, 4 g of fiber and 14 g of water. These indicators may vary slightly depending on the plant variety and the method of cultivation.
Lentils are very often used during fasting when you can not eat food of animal origin. These fruits may well replace the meat and saturate the body with the necessary vitamins and nutrients. The calorie content of boiled lentils and its nutritional value will be slightly different. 200 grams of such a product contains 18 g of protein, 40 g of carbohydrates, 4 g of sugar, 15 g of fiber and 138 g of
water. The calorie content of boiled lentils is 230 Kcal per 200 g.
Structure
Lentils are an excellent natural source of fiber, like all legumes. Its use not only provides the body with the daily norm of this substance, but also normalizes the gastrointestinal tract, allows you to control appetite and weight and eliminate the problem with constipation. Lentils are also a source of protein. Proteins are known to help muscle development. This is especially true for those who follow a vegetarian menu. Protein is mainly found in foods of animal origin, and lentils can be an excellent substitute for meat. By the number of vitamins, it is also a leader.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) and folic acid (vitamin B6) are especially abundant in this product. They are necessary for the proper functioning of the brain and the absorption of nutrients by the body. Lentils also include some minerals: iron, potassium, copper and magnesium. Potassium is necessary for the heart muscle, it reduces the risk of stroke and osteoporosis. Magnesium is needed for bone development, and iron is needed to prevent anemia. Copper is an antioxidant and protects cells from mutations. And given that the calorie content of boiled lentils is very low, it can be consumed without prejudice to the figure.
The benefits of lentils
Due to the presence of dietary fiber, lentils can reduce blood cholesterol. Soluble fiber blocks carbohydrates, which slows down the absorption process. There are no sharp fluctuations in blood sugar in the body, which is important for diabetics. A large amount of fiber allows you to quickly saturate the body.
That is why the dishes from this product are satisfying, but low-calorie. This property will be useful to those who follow their figure and adhere to a diet. The presence of a large number of nutrients increases metabolism. Eating lentils improves digestion, lowers blood pressure, and helps lower the risk of dangerous diseases like Alzheimer's, cataracts, diabetes, or osteoarthritis.
Contraindications
Despite the large number of useful properties, lentils also have some contraindications. Firstly, excessive consumption of this product can lead to flatulence. Secondly, a large amount of protein can cause kidney disease, as there is an additional burden of filtering and removing fluid from the body. A large amount of potassium can lead to the development of hyperkalemia. This disease manifests itself in the form of apathy, fatigue, breathing problems and numbness of the limbs. Therefore, it is necessary to use lentils in moderation, not reaching fanaticism, as, in principle, any other product.
How to cook lentils
This product is very easy to prepare. Before cooking lentils red or another color, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse and remove debris. It does not need to be pre-soaked, which is very convenient. We take three parts of the liquid for one part of the lentils. If you place the grains in boiling water, then there will be more vitamins in the finished product.
When the water boils again, it is necessary to reduce the fire. If you need friable lentils, for example, to prepare a salad, then it should be cooked for about 5-10 minutes. If you need a softer texture, you should cook longer. Knowing how to cook red lentils, you can cook many wonderful dishes.
Lentil puree
This is the easiest recipe. Lentil puree is prepared from already cooked beans. They add a spoonful of olive or other oil and salt. All this is mashed with a blender. You can also add garlic or herbs and spices to your taste. To make mashed potatoes more airy, you need to increase the cooking time of the original product.
Cream soup
Cream of lentil soup is not only useful, but also delicious. For cooking, take 100 grams of grains, two cloves of garlic, one small head of onion, 10 grams of flour, one egg, croutons, oil, salt and pepper. Boil lentils, add chopped onion and garlic to it and bring the dish to readiness. Then wipe it through a sieve. So lentil cream soup will be more tender. Then lightly fry vegetable oil in oil, add salt and spices and dilute with broth or broth left over from cooking lentils. Serve this dish with croutons and chopped egg. Lentil soup, the calorie content of which will be very low, is suitable for dietary nutrition. Use lentils in your diet and saturate your body with beneficial substances.