Any ideas on what section of MyPlate lentils would go in? I’ll give you a hint – lentils are considered legumes (all beans are in the legume family). Legumes are a good source of ……
protein! Lentils may be small but they’re a great source of protein. To learn more about protein specifically, click here.
Lentils are considered a pulse. The term pulse refers to the edible seeds of legumes – beans are also considered pulses.
If you think that growing lentils sounds fun, you should consider moving to Canada. Canada grows and exports more lentils than any other country. Without moving to Canada, you should be able to find lentils at the grocery store (often next to the rice). Lentils are commonly bought in their dry form but you can also find them canned.
Lentils deserve a gold star when it comes to nutrition. Lentils are low in fat but high in protein and fiber! Below is a list of nutrients that are found in high amounts in lentils:
Fiber: helps with healthy digestion
Potassium: can lower blood pressure
Folate: helps in creation of cells and DNA
Iron: important for healthy proteins in blood and muscles
- Add lentils to enchiladas or a burrito
- Make a lentil hummus
- Add lentils to chili or any soup!
- Make sloppy joes with them
- Keep it simple, eat lentils with rice or quinoa
- Use them as a salad topping
The most common type of lentils are large green lentils, and split red lentils. Split lentils are what they sound like – they’ve been split in half. Besides red and green there are also, yellow, black, and brown lentils.
Information for this post came from lentils.org
I love lentils. Super easy to get protein punch. Did not know that Canada was such a prolific lentil grower!