Have you heard about the benefits of lentils?
Lentils, or Lens culinaris in scientific terms, are a legume that has found a place in the culinary tradition of many different cultures. This is partly due to how nutritious they are.
It is believed that they come from southeast Asia. However, they’re grown all over the Mediterranean, in America, and in many other places in the world.
Lentils are low in calories and high in fiber, amino acids, and antioxidants. Overall, they’re a wonderful part of any diet and can do so much good for your body.
They come in different varieties, but all contain a significant amount of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. This helps to keep your energy levels up, among other things.
The Amazing Health Benefits of Lentils
Since many people still don’t know about the benefits of lentils, we’ll give you 8 good reasons to add them to your diet.
1. They prevent constipation
First of all, adding lentils to your regular diet has remarkable benefits for your digestion.
The fiber in them supports good digestion of the food you eat. Meanwhile, it gets your intestines moving, thus removing waste properly.
Plus, they act as food for the healthy bacteria that lives in your colon. As if that weren’t enough, they help prevent constipation.
2. They help lower your blood glucose
Unlike simple carbohydrates, lentils are good at helping lower your blood sugar.
The carbohydrates are absorbed slowly, one of which is starch. They support the transformation of sugar into energy, lowering your risk of diabetes.
3. They improve your cardiovascular health
This variety of legume doesn’t contain any cholesterol or harmful fat. Thus, this makes them great for your heart and arteries.
First of all, they contain a small amount of polyunsaturated fat. This helps remove harmful lipids that form plaque in your arteries.
Plus, the fiber reduces the absorption of fat and cholesterol in your intestines, preventing disorders like high cholesterol.
4. They help you build muscle mass
It’s no surprise that athletes and fitness lovers eat lentils. After all, they’re helpful for the creation and strengthening of muscle mass.
They contain high biological value protein, which affect the recovery of your muscles after high-impact physical activity.
The slowly absorbing carbohydrates increase your energy levels and improve athletic performance.
5. They help with anemia
In addition, lentils provide your body with a significant amount of iron, magnesium, and zinc. These are essential minerals that help people with anemia get back to full health.
These minerals play a role in the formation of red blood cells, which are reduced with anemia.
Plus, they support cell function and reduce the symptoms of fatigue.
6. They help you lose weight
While they are no weight loss miracle, lentils can help a great deal.
Since they’re low in calories and very nutritious, they’re good for losing weight without going hungry or being deficient in any nutrient.
Plus, they contain almost no fat, so they can be eaten without fear of gaining weight.
Finally, their fiber helps keep you feeling full longer, which is key in managing your appetite.
7. They protect your nervous system
Adding lentils into your diet is great for preventing nervous system disorders.
The high amounts of vitamins B complex found in them improve nerve connections, protecting them from the deterioration caused by free radicals.
In addition, they help encourage the secretion of “well-being” hormones.
8. They support good skin and hair health
The vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in lentils also affect your hair and skin.
The absorption of these nutrients improves cellular regeneration. This is important if you want to prevent premature aging.
Plus, they’re useful for speeding up the healing of your skin if you have any cuts or wounds, since they contain protein and vitamin E.
The minerals in them strengthen your hair and prevent excessive hair loss.
How often do you eat lentils?
Now that that you know how good they are for your body, make them a part of your diet at least twice a week.
However, keep in mind that they’re not advisable if you have gout, arthritis, or problems related to uric acid, because they contain purines.