Home
>
Nutrition
>
Why You Should Eat Lentil Soup at Least Once a Week

Why You Should Eat Lentil Soup at Least Once a Week

If you're looking for a power-packed entr?e or soup to spice up your life, look no further than the lowly lentil. Perhaps there was a reason why that lentil pottage was so tempting in the biblical story of Jacob and Esau. Esau knew that lentil soup would give him strength and put meat on his bones.

Meet Mr. Lentil

In case you are something less than a lentil aficionado, here's the skinny on these small, disk-shaped legumes. Lentils come in dozens of varieties and almost as many colors. Dishes based around lentils are especially popular in the Middle East and India.

Lentils make delightful soups, croquettes and patties. They can also be used in casseroles, salads and stews. Lentils are fast and simple to prepare, and make a nourishing, hearty and inexpensive meal when eaten with brown rice.

Be sure to pick through and then wash lentils before cooking. Also, avoid overcooking, unless your goal is to create a lentil mush.

Health Benefits of the Lowly Lentil

Lentils have been shown to be an excellent source of some vitamins and minerals such as Iron, Potassium and Folate. Lentils are also considered to be a good source of Niacin.

In terms of actual diseases, the consumption of legumes (such as lentils) have been shown to:

? reduce the risk of coronary heart disease

? lower cholesterol levels

? provide a source of beneficial high fiber for persons with diabetes

? help in reducing triglycerides

Looking for Lentils?

If you don't have time to cook, look no further than your grocery isle for a can of Progresso Lentil Soup. While Progresso is pretty good, many canned soup products do contain a high degree of salt. You may be able to find low-salt lentil soups at your local health food store.

Lentils are not really that hard to cook, so another option would be to simply pick-up a few bags and get started yourself. There are many lentil-related recipes online. Following is one that should whet your appetite (notice the alphabet-shaped noodles-if you can't locate these in your store, I'm sure traditional elbows will work just the same):

Lentil Soup Mix Recipe

2-1/2 c. green split peas (16 oz. pkg.)
2-1/2 c. lentils (16 oz. pkg.)
2-1/2 c. pearl barley (16 oz. pkg.)
2 c. alphabet macaroni (8 oz. pkg.)--I use brown rice instead
1 c. dried onion flakes (2 3/8-oz. pkgs.)
1/2 c. celery flakes (1 3/8-oz. pkg.)
1/2 c. parsley flakes (1 1/4-oz. pkg.)
(Optional: 1-1/2 t. thyme; 1-1/2 t. white pepper)

Mix all ingredients together. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Stir before using. Makes 10 c. of mix.

TO COOK: Combine 1 c. of soup mix with 4 c. of water or seasoned stock in large pan. Add 1 c. of cooked chopped meat, if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes, or until peas are tender. Add 1/2 t. salt if desired.

Speaking of Mixes

If you want the taste experience of a home-cooked meal but don't have time to make your own mix, there are a number of lentil soup mixes available online. The Mediterranean Lentil Soup mentioned in the resource box below is one of my favorites, and the red lentils it features make a colorful contribution to any meal.

So if you're getting tired of burgers, fries, or whatever else you've been eating, may I recommend the lowly lentil as a healthy food option? Now that McDonalds and other fast food chains appear to be getting more health conscious, perhaps we should start a letter-writing campaign for some lentil-related options. But until that day comes, you can find lentils in your health food store, many grocery stores, and certainly online.

Cari Haus is webmaster for http://www.thevegetarianexpress.com/, a website offering vegan food mixes and seasonings-including a mix for Mediterranean Lentil Soup. This article is not intended to give any health advice, and should not be construed as such

elite cleaning services Mundelein ..

In The News:

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Why You Should Eat Lentil Soup at Least Once a Week

Nutrition