Lentils have been deemed as one of the healthiest foods in the world. They are found in black, yellow, green, brown, red and orange. While they may appear tiny in size, they are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Here are a few reasons why everybody should be adding lentils into their diet.
1. Reduces Cholesterol
Lentils are made of cholesterol friendly ingredients. One study found out that that since lentils are high in fiber, it helped reduce total cholesterol levels by 7%. The most dangerous Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) went down by 12.5%.
2. Keeps Your Heart Healthy
Along with their high fiber content, lentils are rich in folate and magnesium, and low in sodium. These properties are necessary for a healthy heart. Magnesium helps to carry oxygen and nutrients to different parts of the body, folate is necessary to reduce homocysteine levels. Since lentils are known to reduce cholesterol levels, it helps prevent plaque buildup and creates a healthy environment for your arteries. This reduces chances of heart issues.
id="stabilizes-blood-sugar-level">3. Stabilizes Blood Sugar Level
If you are diabetic, you need lentils as part of your diet. One study proves that lentils, owing to their high fiber content and low starch presence, helped to reduce plasma glucose levels and insulin levels. Another study claimed that lentils helped to trap glucose from carbohydrates, a property useful to prevent diabetes.
4. Gives You A Boost Of Energy
If you are low on energy, lentils are a source of power boosting ingredients. Since they are rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates and iron, lentils are important for energy production. Another great thing about lentils are that they are heavy on the protein side, making them an excellent choice for vegans. In fact, lentils are one of the highest plant based protein foods in the world!
id="great-for-digestive-health">5. Great For Digestive Health
Dietary fiber is key to healthy digestion. Since lentils are rich in dietary fiber, they are known to clean up your digestive system. If you are looking to treat any digestive related issue, including constipation, inflammatory bowel diseases, and diarrhea, include lentils in your diet.
6. For Better Control Of Your Weight
While lentils are high in proteins, fiber, vitamins, they are low in calories. They keep you full for long while giving you a boost of nutrients. One study claims that lentils help to tackle cravings for sugar. You could make soups, curries, and salads.
7. Helps To Balance Your Body’s pH Level
Alkaline protein sources are important to maintain your body’s pH level. They also play an important role in improving your digestive system. The presence of good bacteria should be more than harmful bacteria for healthy digestion. Lentils are a source of promoting the growth of good bacteria and it is also one of the highest alkaline protein sources.
8. Build Up Your Immunity
Since lentils are a great option to improve digestive health, and keeping healthy levels of cholesterol and blood sugar levels, it’s no wonder they help to strengthen your immune system. Iron, manganese, folate, zinc, and fiber are all needed for a strong immune system.