Lentils are planted in many northern provinces of China, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia, as well as Yunnan and Sichuan. However, people in China eat them more as kidney beans than many people eat them as food, and even many people don't know about lentils.
Although the edible heart also comes from the countryside, this crop has never been planted in the hometown of "grain as the key link", and I have never eaten or heard of lentils during my school days. I first got to know lentils clearly during my visit to Iran in 20 17. I found that the bean porridge, lentil soup and lentil curry that Iranians often eat are very delicious, with high fiber and nutrition. Only then did I remember that lentils were the main ingredient of the delicious curry I ate in Sri Lanka in 20 15 years.
The name of lentil may be related to its oblate shape, and its Latin name is more interesting, called Lens culinaris, which directly shows its similarity with Lens.
This small, flat bean looks like a lens and seems to be easily looked down upon. Even though many people know about lentils, they never take this humble bean seriously. But in foreign countries, lentils are recognized as one of the healthiest beans and are favored by nutritionists, healthy dieters and vegetarians. So, why is this seemingly unremarkable bean regarded as a super food?
This issue of "Food and Heart" will show you the nutritional value of lentils, the influence of lentils on human body, and how to eat lentils to give full play to its benefits.
1. Nutritional value of lentils
Lentil is one of the seeds with the highest content of protein in plants, ranking third after hemp and soybean. Lentils have a unique taste and smell, which are salty and sweet. They are widely used in meat and vegetables and are very suitable to be added to daily diet. The nutritional advantages of lentils mainly include the following six points:
1 .high protein. 100g lentils contain 24.6g of protein, which is higher than protein in lean meat. The protein content of lentils ranks third among all nuts and seeds, second only to soybeans (36%) and hemp seeds (32%).
2. Low fat and no cholesterol. Lentils contain no cholesterol, and 100g lentils only contain 1. 1g fat.
3. High fiber. 100g lentils contain 10.7g dietary fiber, which can meet people's daily dietary fiber requirement of 38%.
4. Rich in vitamins. 100g lentils can meet people's daily requirements of folic acid, thiamine /B 1, pantothenic acid /B5, B6, riboflavin /B2 and 16%.
5. Rich in minerals. 100g lentils can meet people's daily needs of 84% copper, 6 1% magnesium, 36% iron, 30% zinc, 22% phosphorus, 14% potassium and 1 1% manganese.
6. Rich in antioxidants. Lentils contain a large number of antioxidant substances, including phytosterols, isoflavones, flavonols, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, saponins and lectins.
The following figure summarizes the nutritional value of lentils.
2. The health value of lentils
The study found that regular consumption of lentils will have the following nine positive effects on the human body.
1. Improve intestinal function. Lentils can play a role similar to prebiotics, promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestine and regulate the intestinal flora. Regular consumption of lentils can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, prevent constipation and improve defecation problems.
2. Promote weight loss. Because of the characteristics of high protein and fiber, eating lentils will produce a long-term satiety, reduce the possibility of snacks and meals, and thus promote weight loss. Eating lentils before and after exercise also helps to gain muscle.
3. Prevention and treatment of diabetes. The carbohydrates in lentils are mainly slow-digested resistant starch, which will not cause a sharp rise or drop in blood sugar after eating, but it has a strong sense of fullness. Studies have found that regular consumption of lentils helps to regulate blood sugar and prevent and control diabetes.
4. Lowering cholesterol is mainly related to the rich dietary fiber, copper and antioxidants in lentils.
5. Improve heart health. Lentils are rich in antioxidants and dietary fiber, which can inhibit plaque adhesion to blood vessel walls and prevent atherosclerosis. The B vitamins (especially folic acid) rich in lentils also help to reduce the homocysteine content in the blood (a risk signal of heart disease); Rich magnesium and potassium help to relax myocardium and lower blood pressure; Coupled with lowering the level of bad cholesterol, these will help improve heart health and prevent heart disease and stroke.
6. Prevent cancer. Studies have found that regular consumption of lentils can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. The anti-cancer effect of lentils is mainly related to its rich polyphenols and lectins. These antioxidants can avoid the formation and accumulation of carcinogens, promote DNA repair and induce tumor cell apoptosis.
7. Promote muscle growth. High protein and low fat make lentils help to gain muscle, which is very suitable for fitness people.
8. Promoting the health of pregnant women and babies is mainly related to the rich folic acid content in lentils.
9. Promoting electrolyte balance is related to the rich minerals in lentils, especially the characteristics of high potassium and low sodium.
3. Precautions for eating lentils
To sum up, lentils are a kind of beans that have many positive effects on human body. Regular consumption is not only beneficial to intestines, heart, pancreas, muscles and other organs, but also helps to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. So, don't look down on this bean just because it is flat. It is more sensible to add it to your daily diet. However, if you want to get more benefits by eating lentils, you need to pay attention to the following points:
1. People who are allergic or intolerant to lentils need to fast lentils for a period of time according to the severity of the disease.
2. It is healthier to eat lentils with skin. With the development of machinery, peeling beans has become very simple. Many people peel lentils/mung beans/soybeans before eating, but this is tantamount to buying a pearl, which will lose most of the antioxidants and dietary fiber in beans.
3. Low-processed lentils are healthier. Simple cooked lentils are very nutritious, such as stewing/boiling, but if they are chickpeas containing a lot of oil, sugar and even additives, their beneficial effects on people will be obviously reduced.
4. Eat cooked lentils. Like other beans, lentils need to be cooked and eaten raw, which may cause diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain.
5. When eating canned lentils, you should pay attention to the kind without bisphenol A on the inner wall.
4. Examples of how to eat lentils
Lentils, like chickpeas, are suitable for salty, sweet, sour, spicy, hemp and other tastes, and can be matched with various seasoning vegetables/seasonings such as pepper, garlic, onion, fennel, curry, thyme, etc. They can not only replace miscellaneous beans such as red beans, mung beans and chickpeas, but also replace meat as the main source of protein.
Although people in China don't eat much lentils, we often say that lentils are not necessary when one side is nourished by water and soil. In fact, the nutritional components and biological characteristics of lentils are a very healthy combination and the price is low. Now, if you want to buy food with higher protein content than meat, higher cellulose content than vegetables and much cheaper than meat, lentils are a good choice. If we combine our familiar cooking methods and use our imagination, we can make very delicious lentil food. The following food will attract jade, and introduce several common ways to eat lentils in the world for your reference.
By the way, in the process of searching for information and praising lentils, Shi Xin couldn't help but cook another lentil dish. Try stewed lentils in chicken soup, which is very delicious!
5. A healthy breakfast for a week
Next, we will continue the breakfast series. "Food and Heart" will introduce several Aauto fast breakfasts that can provide us with heat and protect the flora for your reference.
Day 1 day. ? Pancake+red vegetable sour soybean milk+black bean+walnut kernel+kiwi fruit+grapefruit
The next day. ? Cereal cake+yogurt+eggs+walnuts+apples+cocoa powder
The third day. ? Toast+yogurt+black beans+walnuts+oranges
The fourth day. ? Black bread+yogurt+egg+walnut+apple+pomegranate.
The fifth day. ? Pancakes+yogurt+black beans+peanuts+kiwi fruit+linseed oil
Day six. ? Cereal cake+yogurt+egg+walnut kernel+orange+kiwi fruit+pomegranate
The seventh day. ? Chickpea sour soybean milk with red vegetables+eggs+walnuts+oranges.
Serious friends may find that these breakfasts have many similarities, mainly protein foods (yogurt, eggs, black beans and chickpeas), staple foods (cereal cakes, pancakes, bread and chickpeas), fruits and vegetables (apples, oranges, kiwis, pomegranates and red vegetables) and nuts (walnuts and peanuts). Protein enhances your immunity, carbohydrates provide fuel for your brain, and crude fiber allows your intestinal bacteria to enjoy highly diverse living conditions. Tip: Yogurt is best made by yourself. I won't buy any additives (including sugar). If you want some sweetness, you might as well add a little red beet. Functional colors and tastes are beyond the chart. In addition to yogurt, homemade fermented coarse cereal porridge or whole-grain soybean milk can be used instead, but at the same time, it can reduce the intake of staple food and increase the intake of protein. Yogurt used for food and heart is homemade NS8 yogurt.
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