Benefits Of Lentils When Dieting
Including lentils and other legumes into your diet may have a positive impact on your weight-loss success and also reduce your cholesterol levels and blood pressure, according to a study published in the February 2011 issue of the "European Journal of Nutrition." Lentils are a low energy-dense food, and the fiber and protein in the lentils has a filling effect. Eating lentils regularly while losing weight enables you to feel fill on few calories, which will help you keep your calorie intake at your desired level.
Types and Preparation
The lentil family includes brown, green and red lentils. Each lentil has a slightly different flavor, making them appropriate for different meals. Use brown lentils in soups as a thickener and texture enhancer, add cooked, tender green lentils to leafy green salads for protein and nutrients, and try red lentils in dips or as a puree to accompany whole-wheat crackers or toasted pita. Wash the lentils in running water to remove dirt and examine the lentils before cooking to ensure there are no stones mixed in with the lentils. Cook them in a pot of boiling water until tender, generally 15 to 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information
The U.S. Department of Agriculture includes lentils within the protein and vegetable groups. A serving of lentils is 1/4 cup of cooked lentils. The serving contains 57 calories, 0.2 g of fat, 4.5 g of protein, 3.9 g of fiber and 10 g of carbohydrates. The lentil serving has almost 2 mg of iron, a trace of sodium, small amounts of some of the B vitamins, including 90 mcg of folate.
Considerations
Although lentils are a nutritionally rich food, avoid focusing your diet only on lentils, and include foods from the other food groups as well. Eating mainly one food while dieting is nutritionally limiting, and you will be unable to sustain any weight you lose on a single-food diet, according to registered dietitian Joanne Larsen. If you are not accustomed to eating a high-fiber diet, add lentils into your diet slowly, as a sudden increase in fiber intake may cause you to feel uncomfortably bloated and experience painful gas.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/424570-lentils-and-dieting/#ixzz26dmVIs6x
