When it comes to lentils most of us first think of hearty stew or the typical grandmother’s lentil soup. Therefore, the lentil unfortunately has a somewhat dusty reputation and finds no place in many people’s diet. But you should absolutely give the legume a chance, because there are not only innumerable variants with lenses to cook, the small legume has it really in itself! In this article we’ll show you what’s inside it and answer the question: Are lentils healthy?

Origin of lentils

Lentils originate from the Near East, but are now also cultivated in many other countries, such as Spain, the USA and Argentina. In Asian food culture, these have been established for a long time, and we should also pay more attention to them. There are many different varieties worldwide: brown plate lentils, black Beluga lentils, peeled red and yellow lentils are just a few examples!

Lentils are so healthy

The legume is super healthy and nutritious. Above all, it is an important supplier of vegetable proteins. Lentils contain more protein than any other legume. They thus offer an attractive alternative to meat, whereby vegetable protein sources, unlike meat, have virtually no fat. For this reason the protein supplier is particularly pleased in the nutrition plan of vegetarians and vegans about large popularity. Also sportsmen, who want to build up and strengthen their muscles, can build the legume into a protein-rich, low-fat diet.

Anyone who wants to lose weight or generally pays attention to a healthy diet will also be pleased about the high proportion of dietary fibres and complex carbohydrates in legumes. This ensures that you stay full for a long time and the blood sugar level remains stable over a longer period of time. Thus they help to prevent ravenous appetite attacks. They also contain fewer calories than pasta or rice.

The lentils also have a lot to offer in terms of mineral substances: Potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc are just a few examples. It also contains iron, which makes it a herbal preventive against the widespread disease of iron deficiency.

Lentils are not only healthy, but also cheap

The purchase of lentils is not seasonal. They are available throughout the year at a reasonable price. They are available either in a canned or a dried version. If stored properly, the dried legume can be kept for a very long time. It is best to store it in a cool and dry place so that it can even be eaten from an open package for over a year.

There are many different types of lenses and therefore countless variations of the preparation. They serve as a side dish as well as a main course, they can be served cold in salads or warm as soup. In addition to the typical German lentil dishes, there is also a variety of Asian dishes that allow you to vary your diet with lentils. We process our lentils for example into a Chili Sin Carne, Indian Dal or a delicious greek lentil soup.

Here is our recipe for a delicous greek lentil soup

greek lentil soup

 

Ingedients:

500 gr. plate lenses
500 gr. sieved tomatoes
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 large carrot
3 bay leaves
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt, pepper, sugar
Greece seasoning mix

Preparation:

  1. Dice the onion and garlic. Cut the carrot into small cubes. Chop the parsley.
  2. Boil 2 liters of water. Add lentils, onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf and tomatoes. Let simmer for 1 hour. Stir from time to time.
  3. Now season the soup with salt, pepper, sugar and Greece seasoning mixture. Add olive oil and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add some water if necessary.
  4. Finally add the chopped parsley. Serve the soup with farmer’s bread.

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