The Number One Food You Should Be Eating But Probably Aren’t: Lentils

Lentils not in your diet? They should be, especially if you care about your health and climate change. Here’s why. Lentils might be one of the most underrated foods. Although they’re tiny in nature, they carry huge benefits for your health as well as the planet.

Yet if you’re like most Americans, you’re probably not eating many, if any lentils on the regular. Less than five percent of individuals ate legumes (which lentils are) daily, in a study of consumers, while one third didn’t even eat a single bean during the previous month, according to the study published in the journal Nutrients that evaluated how many beans, lentils and peas families in Oregon were eating. Sound familiar? Time to make a change and embrace these little nutritional powerhouses.

Lentils belong to the legume family, as do soybeans, peanuts, fresh peas, and fresh beans. But unlike these other forms of legumes, lentils have an even more special designation in that they’re considered pulses. Dry beans, dry peas, and chickpeas are also classified as pulses, which refers to the dry edible seed that grows within the pod. Among the legume family, pulses are rockstars, namely because they have unique health benefits.

For starters, pulses are high in protein and fiber and low in fat, says Becky Garrison, R.D.N., director of domestic marketing for the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council.

In just a half cup of cooked lentils, you’ll get  9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, which is a quarter of your daily recommended amount of 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, according to the USDA.  As a result, lentils can help you feel fuller longer, which means you’ll have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight. Lentils also contain the most amount of folate in any plant protein, and just a half-cup of cooked lentils can give you 15 percent of your daily iron needs, according to Lentils.org.

In terms of health, because lentils are a source of prebiotic fiber, which is the type your gut bacteria prefers, they can help improve gut health, Garrison says. They can also help manage blood sugar levels and have been shown to make your heart healthier, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

But the benefits don’t just stop with people, as they’re also healthy for the planet. “Lentils and all pulses are considered environmentally friendly crops,” Garrison says. They’re actually one of the most climate-friendly foods, according to the Environmental Working Group. As a comparison, they produce almost 40 times less greenhouse gas emissions than lamb, the food with the most impact on the planet.

That’s because pulses can take nitrogen from the air and convert it into nutrients they need. They can also be grown and harvested in a wide array of climates and terrains and require less water and nitrogen fertilizer than other traditional crops. ‘This results in a healthier soil that can be reaped multiple times over without overworking the land,” Garrison says. Lentils put more carbon into the soil than is emitted, which makes them a carbon negative crop and one of the most sustainable protein sources on the planet.

Fortunately, lentils are easy to incorporate into any meal. Just toss them into salads or pastas, mix them into mashed potatoes or soups, or add them to burger patties, sloppy joes or spaghetti sauce for an added plant protein boost and a slightly chewy texture, Garrison says.

Of course, deciding what type of lentil to use might be your toughest task, as there are numerous varieties. In general, they fall into four types: Green, brown, red/yellow and specialty. “Let cook time and texture determine which you’ll use,” Garrison says.

Brown and green lentils, what some consider regular lentils, hold their shape well, which makes them perfect for brothy soups, casseroles or alongside plant meats in tacos or pasta dishes, Garrison says. Meanwhile, red and yellow lentils tend to cook quickly and break down faster, lending themselves to pureeing. Add them to thick soups, curries or stews. And specialty lentils like French Greens or Pardinas earn extra credit for holding their shape well, one reason they’re best showcased in salads or featured on their own as a side dish.

Just don’t think your only option is buying plain old lentils.  Numerous products now incorporate lentils, including pasta noodles, crackers or chips, and frozen convenience meals.

Lentils, anybody? Whether you eat them for your health or the planet’s health or both, making lentils a staple in your plant-based diet is one of the best moves you can make.