Nutrition & Benefits Of Lentils: The Gut-Friendly Legume That's Super Easy To Cook

Here, we break down everything you need to know about the nutrients, cooking methods, and health benefits of lentils.

You may have seen a bag of these pebble-like dried seeds in the grocery store or noticed them on the menu at your favorite Indian spot, but what exactly are lentils? Similar to chickpeas, beans, and peas, lentils are a delicious and nutrient-packed seed in the legume plant family. Lentils can be found in many varieties, including green lentils, red lentils, puy lentils, and black lentils, each with varying textures and flavors. Traditionally used in Middle Eastern, Indian, and Mediterranean cuisine, lentils are known for their somewhat nutty flavor, versatility, and many health benefits. One cup of lentils1 packs about:

Lentils are also a great source of "good" complex carbohydrates (as opposed to refined carbohydrates), which means your body digests them more slowly. This helps keep you feeling full and energized, promotes balanced blood sugar, and may benefit your overall digestion. 

Lentils are one of the oldest known crops—and for good reason. Those little seeds pack some major benefits. Lentils have been touted for doing everything from lowering cholesterol and promoting weight loss to enhancing hair growth and digestion. Here are some of the top science-backed health benefits of lentils:

Prebiotics, which may be just as important for your gut as probiotics, are what our friendly gut bacteria feed on. This type of fiber, also found in foods like beans, garlic, onions, jicama, and more, promotes the proliferation and survival of this good bacteria and keeps your microbiome happy. Maintaining good gut health can positively affect everything from your bowel movements to appetite regulation to mood.

Additionally, lentils can be a great meat replacement if you're looking to reduce your intake of dietary cholesterol or saturated fat. Due to their high protein content and hearty texture, many vegetarian recipes lean on lentils. Try swapping the beef in Bolognese sauce with green lentils, or toss lentils into your favorite burger patties for a delicious and easy way to boost your intake of heart-healthy fiber. 

Of course, if you're pregnant or trying to become pregnant, you'll need to think about a lot more than just adding lentils to your diet. Consult with your doctor or a registered dietitian about how to best formulate your diet (a Mediterranean-style diet is often recommended but definitely not your only option) and what type of supplementation may be necessary.

In addition to high folate levels, lentils are also a good source of plant-based (non-heme) iron. Iron is essential for red blood cell production and transporting oxygen throughout the body, and it's particularly important during pregnancy. This is because during pregnancy, blood production and volume increase7 by up to 50% to support the growing fetus. If you are not consuming adequate levels of iron to meet the increased demand, it can lead to iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, and premature delivery. Focusing on getting adequate iron through your diet is also important if you have heavy periods, as you may lose a significant amount of iron via menstruation each month. Lentils provide about 40% (or 6.6 mg1) of your RDI of iron; however, it's not as readily absorbed by your body as animal-based (heme) iron. Vitamin C has been shown to boost absorption8 of iron from plant foods. Good thing vitamin-C-rich foods like tomatoes, red bell peppers, and lemon juice all pair nicely with cooked lentils!

Important to note, though, is that the ability of lentils to help you achieve any of the above perks also depends on the composition of your overall diet. You want to focus on eating a combination of nutrient-rich, minimally processed whole foods, including a whole lot of plants—and lentils can be a very healthy addition to this type of diet.  

These side effects may not occur in everyone, though, so your best bet is to assess how you feel after eating lectin-containing foods like legumes. If you consistently feel sick, consider scaling back or eliminating lectins. If you feel OK, you're probably in the clear. You can also drastically reduce the lectin content of legumes and grains by cooking them in a pressure cooker.

Try experimenting with the different types of lentils by tossing yellow lentil croutons on your next salad, whipping up some lentil and veggie soup, or making the traditional Indian red lentil dal. As mentioned above, you can also incorporate cooked lentils into your next beef burger or keep it completely plant-based and whip up a delicious veggie burger with a combo of lentils, chickpea flour, and sunflower seeds. There's a whole lot you can make with this protein-rich legume!