Eat Lentils and Reap their 7 Health Benefits!
If you’re not familiar with eating lentils, they are legumes that belong to the high-protein pulse family. Lentils come in a handful of varieties that differ in color, texture and taste. Some of the most common types of lentils include black, green and the red varieties. Black lentils, also known as beluga, are famous for their similarity in appearance to caviar. They are often cooked in both cold and warm salads. Green lentils are the most widely available.
You won’t believe how beneficial Lentils are to your health!
Here are 7 main benefits to gain from eating lentils: Lowers Cholesterol, reduces rick of heart disease, improves digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, high in protein, increases energy, and good for weight loss.
Are you trying to lower your cholesterol?
There are many significant health benefits that can be had by eating these tiny legumes. Lentils help to reduce blood cholesterol since it contains high levels of soluble fiber. Lowering your cholesterol levels reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke by keeping your arteries clean.
Heart Healthy Lentils:
Several studies have shown that eating high fiber foods like lentils reduces your risk of heart disease. Lentils are also a great source of folate and magnesium, which are big contributors to heart health. Folate lowers your homocysteine levels, a serious risk factor for heart disease. Magnesium improves blood flow, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Low levels of magnesium have been directly associated with heart disease, so eating lentils will keep your heart happy!
My best recommendation?
Double or triple the amount of lentils in a recipe when you cook them. They keep well in the refrigerator or freezer. And, they are so beneficial, versatile and tasty, you can add them to salads, soups, over vegetables, in dips and spreads, and for faux burgers or meatballs.
- 2 C Brown lentils, cooked in 6 C water until firm but tender, rinsed
- 1 Chopped red bell pepper
- 1 Chopped English cucumber, peeled and quartered
- 1 Chopped avocado
- 1 C Grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- Dressing:
- 4 T Olive oil
- 2 T Lemon juice
- ½ t Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ C Chopped Parsley, Dill and/ or other herbs of your choice
- In a large stock pot, bring water to a boil.
- Add lentils and stir.
- When water comes back to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Drain lentils in a colander and rinse with water to cool.
- In a large bowl combine red bell pepper, cucumber, avocado and tomatoes with the cooled lentils.
- In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine well.
- Pour over vegetables and gently toss.
- Garnish with additional herbs and serve chilled or at room temperature.
You might also like to make this Herbed Carrot and Pea Orzo Salad.
