Since ancient times, lentils have been one of the main products of consumption, it was eaten as a person of higher rank, and ordinary peasants. Lentil was an integral part of the diet of almost all people, regardless of their financial situation. It was used both in the traditional form, and often in the composition of some soups and soup. Unfortunately, in our time, lentils have not endured such a huge competition among cereals, now it is far less demanded than before. But still, this does not affect the useful properties of lentils in the diet of any of us.
What is useful in lentils?
One of its main advantages is that it is not capable of accumulating toxic substances, nitrates and radio nuclides. That is, it will retain all its useful properties regardless of the conditions of cultivation. Perhaps the safety of consumption is the first thing that lentils are useful.
Lentils contain a lot of macro (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium , phosphorus, chlorine) and microelements (iron, iodine, fluorine, boron, nickel), vitamins (A, B1, B2, PP, E). It also includes amino acids, isoflavonoids, dietary fiber and folic acid. Isoflavonoids are able to act prophylactically against breast cancer, and insoluble coarse fibers (consisting of 3,7 g / 100 g) normalize the intestinal robot, remove toxins and toxins from the body.
A distinctive feature of lentils is its huge content of vegetable protein in the composition, namely up to 50%, so it takes a leading position in protein content, here is another version of what is useful in lentils.
I also want to note that lentils are a good source of tryptophan - an amino acid, which in the body turns into serotonin (it is responsible for our mental state). Its deficiency can lead to groundless depression, a nervous breakdown, a depressed mood.
What is the most useful lentils?
There are about 10 kinds of lentils, different in the way of preparation, taste and even color, but what is the most useful lentil? There is no unambiguous answer, because their composition is almost identical, so that it is impossible to single out a specific variety that would surpass all others. The most common types of lentils are:
- brown - before use soak it for several hours, or even a day, is used in cooking soups;
- red - cleared from the shell, cooked quickly, used in soups and mashed potatoes;
- green - immature beans, often added to salads;
- beluga - the smallest variety, suitable for soup or salad, it goes well with vegetables;
- puy - color black and green, pungent taste, is a good addition to salad;
- tray - lowers the level of sugar in the blood, thereby very useful to people with diabetes.
Is lentil useful for losing weight?
Caloric content of dry lentils is 295 kcal per 100 g, ready much less - 111 kcal. Importantly, lentil contains only 1% fat, and the glycemic index is 30. Glycemic index - the indicator of the effect of food, after their consumption, on sugar in the blood. When losing weight, it is recommended to eat food with low GI (10-40) thus, the answer to the question whether lentils for weight loss is useful is obvious - useful as nothing else. But products with high GI should be avoided, because a high level of insulin in the blood causes the body to store fats.
In addition, lentil contains a special microelement molybdenum, which contributes to more efficient processing of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates - provide a hormonal balance, fiber - protects them from rapid digestion, that is, a combination of carbohydrates and fiber gives us a lasting sense of saturation.
If you need to get rid of a few extra pounds, then the reception of dishes from lentils, this will accompany, but for greater effect, you should choose a more rigorous version of the diet based on the use of lentils alone in pure form, that is, without any additives. You can sit on such a monodiet for up to 5 days.