ARE LENTILS GOOD FOR HEALTH?
How many times have we asked ourselves if the lentils are good for health? They are very good but also do very good?
Let us begin by saying that the lentils have a high nutritional value, rich in proteins and carbohydrates. Inside them we find two important substances: niacin and flavonoids which give this legume important antioxidant properties.
Thanks to thiannine, lentils are considered a food ally of the memory because they favour concentration and improve attention.
The lentils also contain many fibres and this makes them a valuable ally to the bowel in fighting problems of constipation.
Within these legumes we can find many minerals such as iron, potassium and phosphorus as well as being rich in vitamins of the B group but not only;
Let us see what they contain exactly:
- Vitamin B1 0,50mg
- Vitamin B2 0.22 mg
- Vitamin B3 2,1Mg
- Vitamin C 2,2 mg
Mineral salts
- Iron 8 mg (almost 40% of the recommended daily dose )
- Sodium 8 mg
- Phosphorus 374 mg (approximately 21% of the recommended daily dose)
- Selenium 10,49 µg (7,3% of the recommended daily dose)
- Potassium 980 mg
- Calcium 58 mg
- Magnesium 82 mg
- Zinc 2.89 mg
- Copper 1,0 mg
And also…
- Water 11.30 g
- Protein 22.68 g
- Simple fats 1.0 g
- Fibres tot 13.91 g
- Carbohydrates tot 51,12 g
The edible part: 100%
Cooked lentils contain only 90 kcal per 100 g.
ARE LENTILS GOOD FOR HEALTH?
When talking about lentils we also talk about proteins and it is worth mentioning that the proteins constitute approximately 16/18% of our body and have a very precise role: They regulate metabolism, protecting the body from viruses, carrying molecules in the blood and not only… However we must make a dutiful distinction because the proteins are not all the same. They are divided into two categories:
- Animal proteins apart from being rich in essential amino acids, they also contain saturated fat and cholesterol. For this it would be a good thing to eat it with moderation.
- Vegetable proteins are far more healthy and may cover, in equal measure, the daily requirement of which an individual needs. They also contain small amounts of saturated fats and/or cholesterol.
Another important aspect to consider is the high satiating power of the proteins found in legumes, and therefore also inside lentils. This is because during their preparation, legumes, must be soaked; this step will ensure that these will increase in volume in contrast to meat which instead loses weight during cooking.
For this reason it is always preferable to choose the vegetable proteins i.e. those coming from legumes: peas, chick peas, lentils etc.
BENEFITS OF LENTILS
Lentils have numerous benefits some we have already seen but let us look in detail at the benefits of lentils:
- They are low in calories and have a high satiating power; hence they are suitable when you are on a diet.
- They are a powerful natural antioxidant, thanks to the presence of flavonoids
- Regularize the intestine thanks to the high content of fibres
- Contrast the onset of cancer of the colon and in the digestive tract
- Improve concentration by favouring the memory thanks to the thiannine
- Reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL)
- Help prevent atherosclerosis because they only contain unsaturated fats and very few compared to an animal protein food.
- Indicated for those who are anemic, this is because inside the lentils there is a discreet iron content.
What more must I say? It is time to prepare ourselves a wonderful dish of lentils!!!
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