As of: February 12, 2024, 5:15 a.m
By: Sarah Isele
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Lenses are very popular worldwide.
After all, legumes are extremely versatile.
But how healthy are lentils really - and what happens if you eat them every day?
Whether in a salad, in a stew or as a source of protein.
Lentils come in a wide variety of varieties and are very popular on menus around the world.
The butterfly family has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region since ancient times.
But the question arises as to how healthy lentils really are.
And what happens if you eat legumes every day?
HEIDELBERG24 has the answers:
How healthy are lentils really?
Lentils are an absolute superfood not only because of their versatile preparation options and their satiety content.
The small legumes are also real nutrient bombs.
Because they provide a high amount of protein.
100 grams of lentils contain around 10 percent important proteins, which puts them at the forefront of the most protein-containing plant foods.
Like all legumes, lentils contain high amounts of B vitamins, which strengthen our nervous system.
They also provide vitamin A, which is needed for the immune system and vision, as well as cell-protecting vitamin E. Lentils are also rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium.
Here is an overview of the most important nutritional values of lentils:
lenses |
per 100 grams |
Calories |
270 kcal |
carbohydrates |
40.6 grams |
Proteins |
23.5 grams |
Fat |
1.5 grams |
fiber |
11 grams |
Are lentils good for the intestines?
As utopia.de reports, studies have shown that a diet containing legumes can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in the long term.
This diet also lowers elevated LDL cholesterol and elevated blood pressure.
You can also lose fat by eating lentils.
Over 70 percent of the calories in beans and lentils come from carbohydrates.
Most of it from starch.
Much of the starch in beans is so-called “resistant starch”.
This means that the starch is not digested well and is therefore not converted into simple sugars.
This means our blood sugar doesn't rise as much.
This resistant starch in lenses is also broken down by bacteria in the large intestine.
This creates short-chain fatty acids.
Short-chain fatty acids are the preferred energy source for cells in the rectum and are involved in regulating appetite and energy metabolism.
The special ability of short-chain fatty acids is to positively influence the intestinal flora and correct an unfavorable composition of intestinal bacteria.
In addition, insoluble fiber not only helps increase stool volume and thus prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.
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What are the healthiest lentils?
Anyone who pays attention to their diet and likes to swap meat proteins for plant-based proteins will occasionally ask themselves which lentils are actually the healthiest.
A legitimate question, after all the small, round legumes come in many different colors.
That has to mean something!
In fact, red lentils are the healthiest and also the easiest to process.
They contain around 26 grams of protein per 100 grams and provide our body with important minerals - such as iron, zinc, folic acid and magnesium - as well as a number of B vitamins.
They are also rich in antioxidants, which supports our body's defense mechanism.
Red lentils are very useful in preparation.
Unlike other types of lentils, red lentils do not need to be soaked.
This is because they are already peeled.
When should you not eat lentils?
So far we have only talked about how healthy lentils are and why you should eat them regularly.
But there are also groups of people who would rather stay away from legumes or at least not eat them so often.
Because lentils are very rich in purines.
Purines form a group of organic compounds in chemistry
In addition to pyrimidines, they are important building blocks of nucleic acids.
Purines are the basic building blocks from which the cell builds the DNA strands on which the genetic information is stored.
Buildup of enzymes in the body, participation in energy metabolism.
Purines increase uric acid levels in the body.
Therefore, people with gout or an acidic stomach should avoid eating lentils.
Because of this, lenses can promote gout attacks.
You should also eat lentils regularly, but not every day.
It's the same with oatmeal - this trendy food shouldn't be on your daily menu either.
How healthy are canned lentils?
Canned food often has a bad reputation as having fewer vitamins and being generally unhealthier than fresh food.
Canned foods often still contain a surprising amount of vitamins.
The reason why you shouldn't eat canned food on a regular basis has much more to do with other ingredients.
When ready to eat, the vitamin content of canned vegetables is almost as high as their prepared fresh counterparts - provided that the pre-cooked canned food contents are only heated briefly.
However, in addition to fruit and vegetables, other things are also canned.
Fruit is preserved in sugar water and vegetables in salt water.
So do lenses.
Both are substances that we should not consume in large quantities because they can harm our health.
If we consume too much salt, it can negatively affect our blood pressure.
“In addition, the inner coatings of the cans may contain problematic chemicals that they release into their contents.
This includes the substance bisphenol A, which is classified as harmful to reproduction and has a hormonal effect,” explains nutritionist Alice Luttropp at foodwtach.de.
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