Lentils

Although some lentils take up water and cook quickly, others with their husk intact need to be soaked. Another reason for soaking lentils overnight is to remove phylates. Phylates prevents our body from absorbing certain important minerals like zinc and iron, and to a lesser extent, calcium and magnesium.

Health Benefits of Lentils
The high level of protein in lentils make it a very healthy basic food when you consider how important protein is to our health. Protein is the building block of our body. Protein is broken down and reassemble to create cellular material, hormones, enzymes, and other chemicals important for life.

Lentils are a fantastic food for diabetics because lentils slowly release carbohydrates to the blood stream without spiking blood sugar levels.

Lentils also contain high levels of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber prevent heart and artery disease. Green letils have the highest dietary fiber in 31%. Red lentils may have the lowest dietary fiber with 11%. Lentils contain high levels of both dietary fiber:

• Soluble fiber which forms a gel to capture bile acids and takes the bile out of the body. Bile acids contain cholesterol.
• Insoluble fiber which is not broken down by the body helps to move stool through and out of the intestines. This action prevents constipation and diseases like irritable bowel syndrome.

You may have heard that lentils and rice make a complete protein meal. Well, a complete protein is a source of protein that contains a balanced proportion of all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for the dietary needs of humans. Interestingly, vegetable sources of protein quinoa and soybeans deliver a complete the complete protein meal.