lentils benefits
lentils benefits both virtues and properties
What are the benefits of lens (lens culinaris)? What are the real effects, properties and virtues of this legume? What does the lens bring to the body? How to eat and cook it? Where to buy them of good quality? Are organic lentils of interest? Cooked lentils or sprouted lentils? tests and evaluates the lens to reveal all its secrets. We tested the lens from all angles and here is our verdict!
Legumes (pulses) are great health foods and lentils are a perfect example. Very rich in protein and minerals, the lentil is perfect for your diet because it is low in fat. Treat yourself while taking care of your body thanks to its amazing nutritional qualities!
BENEFITS OF LENSES
The benefits, virtues and properties of lentils are extraordinary. The lentil is a healthy legume with fabulous nutritional properties that provide many essential elements to the body while satiating it (complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals ...).
WHAT EXACTLY ARE LENSES?
The lentil is a seed available all year round that comes in several varieties. Vary the scents, flavors and colors! Eat them cooked (firm, melting) or sprouted according to your preference. Canada is the world's largest producer and exporter of lentils, but France, Belgium and Switzerland cannot produce their own lenses. Eat organic lentils preferably, to take full advantage of their benefits! Further down we give advice on where to buy lenses of excellent quality, full of properties.
ORIGIN
Native to the Middle East, lentil is a legume that has been cultivated for thousands of years (about 10,000 years). It has become popular and heavily consumed wherever it has established itself because it is a very nutritious and easy to produce food. Cheap, it was part of the diet of the poor until the Middle Ages, when the lentil gained a lot of popularity!
DESIGNATIONS
The lens (lens culinaris) is also called "cultivated lentil", "edible lentil", "common lentil", "flat bean" or "nantilla".
VARIETIES
There are several varieties of lentils: blond lentils (the most widespread variety in the world), green lentils, coral lentils (red lentils), brown lentils, beluga lentils (black lentils called "lentil caviar", "vegetable caviar" or "caviar lentils") and pink lentils (dew).
- French lenses
- Lentils of Puy (green lentils of Puy-en-Velay which enjoy a name of controlled origin AOC, grown in Haute-Loire, Auvergne)
- Berry lentils (Berry green lentils produced in Indre, certified by the Red Label)
- Saint-Flour lenses (Saint-Flour blonde lenses reappeared in 1997 in Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal)
- Champagne lentils (pink lentils from Champagne-Ardenne grown in the Champagne countryside and coveted by chefs for their cuisine)
- Swiss lenses
- Sauverny lentils (Green Sauverny lentils grown in Versoix in the canton of Geneva)
- Belgian lentils
The production of legumes has developed a lot in recent years in Belgium but to date we have not heard of a lentil particularly recognized in this country.
NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF LENTILS
Lentils are legumes with a very interesting composition. Their intake of complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index allows a low production of insulin and consequently a lower level of glucose in the blood. Lentils are also known for the large amount of vegetable protein they provide to the body (200 g of lentils provide between 16 and 18 g of protein, the equivalent of a 100 g serving of meat). Unlike meat, lentils provide an interesting amount of fiber (a serving of 200 g covers almost half of the recommended daily needs), very useful for intestinal transit and of great satiating power.
Lentils also provide minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium.
Let's not forget the many beneficial amino acids and vitamins (A, B, C, E, K) that lentils contain.
DOSAGE (DOSAGE AND DURATION)
There is no particular dosage for lentils. You can put them on the menu several times a week, without any problem! Very nutritious, they effectively satiate by providing many beneficial elements to the body (proteins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, vitamins, amino acids).
Tip: Vary your diet for better health outcomes. Prefer to buy quality lenses to get the maximum benefits! Poor quality lentils will not have the expected effects and will not bring all the properties of this incredible legume. Organic lentils will bring you all the virtues of lentils without pesticides and heavy metals.
WHERE TO BUY QUALITY LENSES?
To take full advantage of their benefits, it is necessary to buy lenses of excellent quality. Avoid genetically modified products and cheap lenses that necessarily hide something. Take care of your health, it's essential.
THE PROBLEM OF POOR QUALITY
You will find lenses everywhere, but not always of good quality. By buying low-quality lenses, the properties are diminished and you will not have the expected benefits because you will also ingest, among other undesirable substances, pesticides and heavy metals. We advise you to buy organic lenses preferably. They are a little more expensive but still very affordable and better for your health.
LENS PRICES
The price of lentils depends on several criteria: quality, variety, reputation, appellation, origin, etc. In any case, the lentil is a cheap legume that will, in addition, satisfy everyone effectively. We advise you to rely on quality rather than price. Your organization will thank you!
RESEARCH AND STUDIES
A lot of research and studies have been done on legumes and lentils to determine their action on the body. As a result, regular consumption of legumes has multiple health benefits. It has been shown that legumes can act, among other things, on the control of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and the prevention of colorectal cancer. Moreover, the American Institute for Cancer Research, a major organization dedicated to cancer research, advises to consume mainly plant-based foods: fruits and vegetables, legumes and cereals. It is advisable to avoid processed products as much as possible.
Studies on the lens have highlighted its benefits. Here are some examples.
- Lentils provide antioxidants that protect the body's cells. They would therefore help to limit diseases related to aging and cell damage. Antioxidants would decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Lentils are rich in fiber that gives them a satiating power that gives a feeling of satiety faster while providing few calories, fats and sugars. Lentils would therefore be an excellent element to prevent obesity. A diet rich in fiber would reduce the risk of colon cancer.
DANGERS / CONTRAINDICATIONS
Lentil is a healthy and natural legume with very few adverse effects and contraindications. Lenses are simply not recommended for gastric ulcer (stomach ulcer or gastroduodenal), hyperuricemia (excess uric acid in the blood that can cause gout and kidney stones) and colitis (inflammation of the colon). Lenses are indeed likely to raise the level of uric acid in the blood and when the body already suffers from these inflammations, it is better to avoid them for a while.
CAN LENTILS BE GROWN?
Lentil is an annual plant that is very easy to grow. It likes temperate climates, sun and light sandy or even calcareous soils. It resists well to cold but does not appreciate wet and compact soil (it prefers drained soil). In France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Canada, the lentil is usually planted in March or April.
HOW TO PLANT THE LENTIL?
Make furrows about 2 cm deep and spaced about 45 cm apart. Sow the seeds in poquets of 5 to 6 seeds. Each poquet must be separated by about 35 cm so that the lens can develop properly. Cover with fine soil and tamp.
LENS CARE
The lens requires practically no maintenance. However, it is advisable to make sure to chase weeds by regularly hoeing the soil. You do not need to water the lens for it to flourish, except in case of great drought. The lens does no Info: the lens does not grow back in the same place from one year to the next.
LENTIL HARVESTING
The harvest is usually carried out 4 to 5 months after planting (July/August if planted in March/April). Normally the pods should be dry and closed. Pull out the seedlings and let them dry well in the sun for a day. Then you can hang them upside down in a cool, airy and sheltered place.
LENS CONSERVATION
Once the seedlings are dry, you can leave them hanging and burst the pods little by little to extract the seeds when you need them. You can also extract all the seeds at once and keep them cool in a sealed container.
Tip: The conservation of the lens is better when it remains in its pod. Everything will depend on your needs.t need fertilizer.
ASSOCIATION & SYNERGY
In cooking, lentils are combined with many foods, according to the tastes of each. There are thousands of recipes based on lentils. Vary the fun!
As for the benefits, to take full advantage of the vegetable proteins contained in lentils it would be interesting to associate them with cereals such as wheat, oats, barley, rice, corn ... What for? Because the combination of legumes and cereals would allow a better assimilation of vegetable proteins by the human body. Indeed, for vegetable proteins to be said to be "complete" it is necessary that all the essential amino acids are united in the same dish. However, lentils (and legumes in general) contain too little of one of the essential acids called "methionine". Therefore, combining lentils and cereals during the same meal makes it possible to bring all the amino acids to the body and to obtain proteins of excellent quality. Info: in adults, the intake of essential amino acids (combination of cereals and legumes) could be done during the same day and not strictly during the same meal.
Thanks to this well-known association of vegetarians, we can effectively replace the proteins contained in meat. In fact, replacing meat in this way even has benefits: less saturated fat (lower cholesterol), more fiber (better digestion and satiating power), more minerals and more vitamins. Perfect to keep the line and gain in well-being.
TIPS FOR USE & PREPARATION
Lentil is a healthy and natural legume, full of benefits. It is cheap, easy to prepare and tasty. However, some tips will allow you to preserve its virtues, or even amplify them.
- Combine lentils with cereals to obtain very high quality complete proteins. The legume/cereal combination brings together all the essential amino acids.
- Germinate the lentils. Do not forget that the properties of sprouted lenses are also very interesting. In addition, they have a completely different flavor than cooked lentils. Try!
- Cook the lentils in about 3 times their volume of water, until completely absorbed. In this way they absorb minerals and vitamins that have dispersed in the water during cooking. In this way, preserve the properties and benefits of lentils!
- In order for the lentils to cook faster, do not salt them at the beginning of cooking. Indeed, salt tends to harden the skin of the lens.
- Store lentils in a dry, cool place.
- Think of the different varieties: blond lentils, green lentils, coral lentils (red), brown lentils, black lentils and pink lentils.
- There are thousands of lentil recipes: it is possible to make lentil soups, purees, mixed salads, vegetable terrines, verrines, pies, stews, etc.
ANECDOTES
There are many anecdotes about lenses. Feel free to share the lens anecdote you know. Here are some of them:
- It is because of its shape that the lens has given its name to different optical devices: optical lens, contact lens, lens of the lens of the lens of a camera or a camera ...
- Lentil has long been called "poor man's meat" for its low price and high protein content.
- Lentil was one of the favorite foods of Napoleon Bonaparte who liked to eat simple dishes.
- The Bible mentions the lens four times (example: Esau exchanges his birthright to his brother Jacob for a dish of lentils).