Lentils are healthy as hell, but because of their dryness they are somewhat lacking in the taste department. Initially, I had a tough time getting them down, so I experimented different ways to make them more tasty. Check out my recipe for lentil curry below. I usually have them for breakfast with my eggs and bacon, or for dinner as a side.
Here are 6 reasons why you should add lentils to your diet:
1) The soluble fiber in lentils lowers blood cholesterol.
2) 26% of lentil’s calories consist of protein. This is a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans.
3) There are 1.29g of leucine in 1 cup of lentils. Leucine is one of the three branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) found in protein and it is hard to find from most protein sources. It switches on the muscle-building pathway for protein synthesis and increases muscle growth.
4) Great source of folate and magnesium, which helps lower levels of homocysteine helping to prevent heart disease.
5) The soluble fiber in lentils helps trap carbohydrates and reduces effects of insulin. This is great for diabetics.
6) The complex carbs in lentils increase levels of slow-burning energy. This will give you more energy with less hunger throughout the day.
LENTIL CURRY RECIPE (cooks in 15-20 mins)
Chorizo & Lentil Curry
1 whole onion, diced
3 diced garlic cloves
2 1/2 tblspns of curry powder
1 tblspn oregano
1/2 tblspn thyme
1 tblspn coriander
2 teaspoons of salt
1 tblspn pepper
2 1/2 tblspns of oyster sauce
3 cans of lentils
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 diced chorizo sausage
Fry onions and garlic in a sauce pan over med-high heat until onions go translucent. Add chorizo until cooked through and then add tomatoes, oregano, thyme, coriander, curry powder, oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to med-low and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Mix in lentils, cover and cook for 5 minutes (be sure to give it a couple of stirs!).
Tay Gabbidon – Personal Trainer & Nutrition Therapist – Oxford, England
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