Green or coral, they have essentially the same nutritional profile.
Lentils are part of the legume family like dried beans, broad beans or chickpeas. Although they are present in many traditional recipes – from Indian dahl to English breakfast – we tend to unfairly forget them and not consume them enough. Renowned for their nutritional contribution, they nevertheless have the potential to improve metabolic health, in particular to reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in a few weeks in people with a high waistline or who have too many triglycerides (two factors of cardiovascular risk), according to researchers at the University of Montana in the United States.
In their study published in the review Nutrients, they followed 38 adults with a waist circumference greater than 101 cm for men and 88 cm for women, and a triglyceride level higher than normal. They were divided into two groups. For 12 weeks (3 months), participants in the first group had to eat lentils at each of their lunch meals and those in the second group had to eat similar meals with turkey or chicken instead of lentils. All had blood tests and completed surveys about their eating habits and health. At the end of 3 months, the researchers observed:
- A reduction of 0.11 mmol/L in total cholesterol and 0.03 mmol/L in bad cholesterol (LDL) in people who ate lentils at lunch.
- An increase of 0.36 mmol/L in total cholesterol and 0.29 mmol/L in bad cholesterol in those who had not consumed it.
- Both groups reported decreased hunger and desire to eat during the intervention period
“Our results suggest that daily consumption of lentils may be helpful in lowering cholesterol without causing gastrointestinal symptoms.“, conclude the researchers. However, more in-depth research on the long-term impact of other legumes on metabolism and on a larger sample remains necessary.
Concerning the quantity, the researchers observed benefits on cholesterol from 980 g of cooked lentils per week, or 140 g per day (the equivalent of half a cup of dry lentils). Green or coral, they have essentially the same nutritional profile. Both contain proteins, rich in essential amino acids that complement those of cereals. They are also rich in complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, fiber, vitamins and minerals, which prevent the absorption of cholesterol and help to eliminate it in the stools.