Green lentils are rich in fiber. This promotes regular bowel movements and the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Eating green lentils can increase stool weight and improve overall bowel function. In addition, green lentils contain a wide variety of beneficial plant compounds called phytochemicals, many of which protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Green lentils are a food rich in polyphenols. These are the category of health-promoting phytochemicals. Some polyphenols such as procyanidin and flavanols in green lentils are known to have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Studies show that lentils can inhibit the production of molecules that lead to inflammation. In addition, when tested in the laboratory, polyphenols in lentils have been shown to inhibit cell growth, especially in cancerous skin cells. These polyphenols may also play a role in improving blood sugar levels. Green lentils are an inexpensive way to get a wide variety of nutrients, but often overlooked. For example, it’s packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Green lentils consist of over twenty-five percent protein. This makes green lentils an excellent meat alternative. It also contains iron, a mineral that is sometimes lacking in vegetarian diets. Although different types of lentils vary in their nutritional content, a cup of cooked lentils contains approximately:
40 grams of carbohydrate, 18 grams of protein, 0.8 grams of fat, 15.6 grams of fiber, Twenty-two percent of the daily intake of Thiamine, ten percent of the daily intake reference of Niacin, Eight percent of the daily requirement of vitamin B6, Folate’s daily Ninety-seven percent of the daily requirement of Iron, eighteen percent of the daily intake of Magnesium and thirty-six percent of the daily intake of Phosphorus.