Recently, among people who want to reduce body weight and find a slim figure, a diet based on lentil nutrition has become very popular. This article will examine the beneficial properties of lentils, contraindications for seed intake of this culture, and also a possible menu of such a diet will be given.

Lentils - a dietary product

100 g of boiled lentils consumed by humans give the body about 116 kcal. However, despite this calorie content, the product contributes to weight loss. As a result of the studies, it became apparent that in people who adhere to both a high-calorie and a low-calorie diet, the addition of pods to the daily menu caused significant weight loss compared with the control groups.

Interestingly, according to the participants in the experiment, even a diet with a normal amount of daily calories, enriched with lentil grains, led to weight loss. This is due to the fact that the product has a high content of soluble fiber, which delays the emptying of the stomach and contributes to a long-term feeling of satiety.

A high protein content, in turn, stimulates the secretion of cholecystokinin and GLP1 (glucone-like peptide) - compounds that stimulate a feeling of satiety. WHO recommends eating lentils as a means to reduce the risk of overweight and obesity. The product can also be recommended for people with diabetes, because the culture has a low glycemic index due to its fiber content.

Did you know? Lentils were one of the first plants domesticated by humans along with wheat, barley and peas.

Composition and calorie content

The biological value of a protein depends on its amino acid composition. It is necessary that it contains all the essential amino acids in an appropriate amount. In plant products, there is always a shortage of them (there are none or not enough), which means that protein cannot be fully used by the body. Lentils have a high percentage of protein and a relatively good amino acid composition. Lentils are characterized by high nutritional value.

100 g of lentils contains:

• 12-14 g of prebiotics;
• 48 mg of calcium;
• 7–9 mg of iron;
• 700 mg potassium;
• 50 mcg of selenium.

In addition, lentils are also a good source of vitamin A, thiamine, folate, vitamin K, and vitamin E. Due to the high content of potassium and folate, the consumption of lentils has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. Folic acid is necessary to reduce the concentration of homocysteine, a compound that increases the risk of atherosclerosis. Potassium is also very important for heart health.

Thanks to the prebiotics found in the seeds, the product has a beneficial effect on the bacteria in the intestines. Compared to other leguminous seeds, such as beans or beans, this crop contains a small amount of phytic acid. This acid, forming with some elements of the salt in the digestive tract, violates their absorption.

Did you know? Porridge from lentils is one of the oldest dishes, they began to cook it back in stone age. It was supposedly the builders' main food. Egyptian pyramids.

Therefore, the less phytates in the product, the better the absorption of nutrients. Considering that the average daily requirement of an adult in this element is about 14 mg (men need 10 mg, women 18 mg), lentils can satisfy a significant part of it.

There are several varieties of this plant: brown, green, yellow, etc. All varieties have very similar properties, but brown lentils are more demanding to prepare. It is great for making soups, pies and bread.

Six types of lentils:

Green lentils have a very delicate taste. It is easy to prepare, it is prepared from the filling for dumplings or croquettes. Lentils should be combined with cereal or meat products to increase the nutritional value of protein.

Benefit and harm for women

The positive effect of lentils will be noticeable to anyone who decides to include this product in their diet. Eating lentils promotes a healthy lifestyle and losing extra pounds. It is enough to use the seeds of this culture in an amount of about 50 g (weight before soaking) from two to three times a week to notice the first positive effects.

Even without special diets, it will be possible to lose weight, improve your figure and well-being. Blood conditions will also improve. Most importantly, a diet rich in legumes will significantly extend a person’s life and improve its quality. There will be no problems with the heart or bad cholesterol, you will not have to worry about diabetes or anemia that can easily occur with a modern lifestyle.

Another positive point is the availability of the product, as well as the extremely low price, which makes it easy to replace other carbohydrates in the diet. Even a small package of legumes will be enough for 5-7 meals, in addition, the product can be stored for a long time in the form of dry seeds.

Lentils are also much easier to cook than beans or chickpeas: for its preparation, prolonged soaking or repeated water changes are not necessary; in most recipes, you just need to throw the lentils into the water and bring to a boil. Lentil seeds are a great addition as a thickener for soups, and a good substitute for potatoes or rice. There are many recipes for preparing salads, snacks and even lentil paste.

• Lentil diet is not recommended:
• pregnant and lactating women, since such a mother’s food will not give the fetus a sufficient amount of nutrients necessary for healthy development;
• children and adolescents (for the same reason);
• women during menopause, because during this period it is very important to consume the required amount of dairy products, fruits and vegetables;
• people suffering from diseases of the liver or kidneys, as in these cases you need to be especially careful about the amount of protein consumed daily;
• patients suffering from low blood pressure due to lack of salt and sugar in the diet;
• people with an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia.

Important! It is worth remembering that due to the high fiber content, lentils can cause flatulence and bloating. To deal with this unpleasant aspect is quite simple - just add cumin, thyme or ginger to the cooked dish to reduce the formation of gases in the intestines or completely eliminate them.

Lentil diet

During a lentil diet, dry and sprouted seeds of this crop are eaten. Sprouted grains have much more vitamins and minerals than dry cereal, but the first and second dishes made from dry seeds have more satiety. Therefore, it is recommended to add seedlings to salads as the main ingredient or addition to raw vegetables, and cook porridges and soups based on boiled lentils.

On sprouted lentils

It is advisable to eat lentils as much as possible in the form of sprouts, especially since the sprouted seeds contain even more nutrients than boiled ones. These are vitamins A, B, C, D, E and elements such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, iron, as well as high-quality plant proteins, antioxidants (effectively fighting free radicals).

The sprouts of this culture are characterized by a unique richness of vitamins (since they are not destroyed by heat treatment), they contain many mineral salts, trace elements, amino acids and enzymes. And moreover, the sprouts dehydrate the body, help it remove toxins and toxins.

How to choose lentils for germination

First of all, whole grains should be taken, since the seeds do not germinate in crushed form. It is also desirable to select for these purposes the largest and most complete seeds.

How to sprout lentils

It is not difficult to germinate this culture; even a not too experienced hostess can cope with it without problems.

Important! During pregnancy, women need to take lentil seedlings with caution because of the possibility of developing a disease such as listeriosis.

How to get lentil seedlings:

1. Lentil grains are placed in a plate and poured with water overnight. The amount of water should be at least twice the volume of the seeds. Grains per night should be well saturated with water and significantly increase in volume.
2. After 12 hours of soaking, the cereal is washed with running water, and impurities are removed during washing.
3. The washed grains are laid out in a single layer on a damp cloth or napkin, laid on a flat wide plate. It is advisable to cover germinated seeds with polyethylene in order to avoid rapid evaporation of moisture.
4. A plate with beans is set in a bright and warm place; as moisture evaporates in a plate, water is added in small portions.
5. After 3-5 days of cultivation, lentil sprouts become long and edible.

How to consume seedlings

They can be eaten raw by adding vinaigrette and other vegetable salads, for example, in combination with fresh tomatoes, lettuce. It must be remembered that the longer the germination time, the more fibrous the grains become. If someone does not like the taste of raw shoots, the sprouts can be steamed - steam treatment will help not to lose the nutritional value of the seedlings.

Video: recipe with sprouted lentils

Complete Lentil Diet

Such a diet implies that the basic diet will be based on lentil kernels. Naturally, these legumes will be supplemented with other dietary products that will make up for the body of a slimming person lacking minerals and vitamins that are not found in lentils.

The weekly lentil diet is provided as an example only. A more accurate menu should be developed by a professional nutritionist specifically for each person, taking into account the state of the body, benefits and specific needs.

Partial Lentil Diet

Such nutrition requires a person who is reducing weight, only one meal with lentil grains per day. To choose from, it can be either breakfast or lunch or dinner. But since people are usually at work during the day, and preparing such a dinner can be difficult, it is recommended to use lentil dinner or lentil breakfast these days.

The use of lentil dishes normalizes blood sugar, so it must be included in the diet of diabetics.

Lentils in the morning

For breakfast, you can cook soup or porridge from lentils. For the preparation of these dishes, a brown (red) variety of this bean crop is usually chosen. When cooking soup, a little shallot and half the carrot and parsley root are added to the beans. The soup will be ready no later than 20 minutes after boiling.

To make porridge, take a double volume of water relative to the volume of crushed grains, for example, a glass of lentil seeds - two glasses of water. The duration of cooking porridge also does not exceed 20-25 minutes. Neither soup nor porridge is salted in any case.

For dinner

In the evening, you can cook a hearty lentil stew. For the preparation of such a dish there are no firm rules and recommended proportions - you can use various vegetables that are in the house. It can be: red pepper, cabbage, onions, carrots, celery and parsley root. The main condition for successful cooking is the use of thick-walled dishes or a stewpan.

All vegetables are cut in large pieces, stacked in a stewpan. Stew the vegetables slightly, after which they add chopped tomatoes or tomato paste, spicy herbs and a little water and continue cooking. Salt is not used in diet food. The stewpan is covered with a lid, and beans and vegetables are stewed over low heat until the products are completely softened.

What foods can I combine lentils with?

Despite the richness of nutrients, legumes do not contain amino acids or contain them insufficiently. Such missing components include tryptophan, which is necessary for the production of the hormone of happiness or serotonin, therefore it is recommended to supplement dishes made from legumes that contain enough substances.

• It:
• pumpkin;
• sunflower seeds;
• oatmeal;
• bananas
• wheat germ.

Typically, consumers purchase legumes in the form of dry grains. During drying, minerals do not “leave” the seeds, they can only lose some vitamins, so it is worth enriching lentils with foods that are rich in vitamins: sprinkle lentil soup with parsley, add grated carrots or apples to a salad or cereal from beans, etc. An extra serving of vitamins in a legume dish, especially vitamin C, will also significantly improve protein absorption.

• Herbs that facilitate digestion and improve the taste of legumes:
• mint and garlic;
• coriander, caraway and ginger;
• sage, thyme and oregano;
• basil and dill.

Did you know? In the Renaissance, the standard of beauty was a full female figure with lush hips and a bust, as well as fat deposits in the abdomen. An indispensable attribute of a beautiful body was the presence of cellulite; however, this concept appeared only towards the end of the 20th century.

The right way out of the diet

It is assumed that the period of exit from the diet should last as long as the diet for weight loss. If diet food has been used for three months, then the same period is needed to stabilize weight. During this period, it is worth continuing cooperation with a nutritionist.

According to the second concept, the duration of the stabilization phase depends on the initial level of calorie consumption (for example, 1500 kcal, 1800 kcal) and what is the target level (for example, 2300 kcal).

The difference between these values ​​should be divided by 100 kcal. The result is a week-long period of giving up the diet, as you can increase your daily calorie intake by about 100 kcal for each week.Some nutritionists believe that it is permissible to increase calorie intake to 150 kcal per week.

All this time, a person should regularly eat and follow a diet, that is, he should not return to his old eating habits. Another very important condition is the rejection of snacks that contain a lot of calories and instant foods.

Did you know? In ancient Russia, a thin girl could remain unmarried, as this was considered a sign of ill health and ugliness. Matchmakers often bypassed such a bride, and only a good dowry could fix the situation.

Energy should come from healthy foods, including whole-grain cereal, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, poultry, or fish. It is worth choosing those products that contain as many vitamins and minerals as possible.

People on a diet should avoid foods rich in simple sugars - after consuming such foods, blood glucose levels rise rapidly and insulin is released from the pancreas. This hormone causes a rapid decrease in blood sugar and the resumption of hunger. You should choose foods rich in fiber, because it provides a longer feeling of satiety.

Even grown in contaminated areas, lentils are always environmentally friendly. It is not able to accumulate radionuclides and nitrates.

• oatmeal;
• whole wheat bread;
• bran;
• cereals;
• brown rice;
• legumes;
• flour noodles with bran.

An approximate amount of 100 g of product is indicated.

Lentil fasting day

Can be carried out on a lentil diet and only one day a week. The date of the fasting day is recommended to be appointed for the day off, at this time you can slowly prepare delicious and low-calorie legume dishes. A large family can be fed the same food, as there will be no harm from these dishes, and a rich table for loved ones is provided.

Fundamental rules

For the preparation of dietary food, it is not recommended to use various hot spices and salt. To slightly improve the taste of the dish, you can add some spicy herbs, such as dill, parsley, oregano. In the morning, you can eat porridge or lentil salad, prepare thick lentil soup for lunch, and cook porridge (soup) for dinner again.

Between meals, you need to drink as much water as possible. A person on a diet should not forget to drink at least 8 glasses of pure water per day, and each meal can end with unsweetened green tea. When cooking diet food, do not use animal oil, salt and sugar.

Menu

The following is a sample menu for a fasting day on lentils. But it is not necessary to follow this menu exactly, you can cook other dishes on the seeds of this culture. The main goal of such a fasting day is to prevent the figure from getting fat, shedding the consequences of the extra calories eaten in the previous six days.

Menu option for fasting day:

The process of losing weight is a difficult period, it leads to the desired goal, but it requires strong will and overcoming difficulties. By incorporating lentil dishes into your diet, a person will provide the body with the necessary energy and calories, thereby improving the quality of nutrition, but limiting the deposition of excess fat on the figure.