When planning to prepare lentil dishes for weight loss, everyone who is losing weight should learn some of the properties of the main ingredient and the secrets of its preparation, for example, the fact that these types of legumes need to be boiled in unsalted water - this will help to avoid too much salt in the finished product. It is also important to note that for cooking it is better to use red lentils, because this variety contains the most substances necessary for the body.
How do lentils help in weight loss?
Let's see how lentils are useful for losing weight:
- low calorie content - per 100 g of cooked product there are only 119 calories, making lentils an ideal choice for the diet;
- the high concentration of fiber allows you to quickly feel satisfied with the dish and not overeat;
- Along with its high nutritional value, lentils are also very healthy, as they saturate the body with vitamin B6, folic acid and many macro- and microelements;
- this cereal is rich in protein, which also promotes weight loss - the body spends a large amount of energy to absorb it, and there is no loss of muscle mass; lentils normalize blood glucose levels and can be recommended for patients suffering from diabetes;
- this cereal has a low glycemic index, which guarantees the impossibility of pangs of hunger or mood swings;
- lentils allow you to significantly expand your diet, while dishes made from it are equally tasty both warm and cold, which allows you not to violate your dietary plan, even while at work;
- The same product on the menu can lead to boredom, but thanks to the variety of varieties, lentils will not allow you to give it up. Each new dish will not only delight you with new colors, but also have a different taste.
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Why am I not losing weight?
As you can see, the benefits of lentils for weight loss are obvious.
Soluble fiber helps normalize digestion and helps maintain intestinal microflora, while insoluble fiber, in turn, stimulates intestinal motility and promotes the removal of waste and toxins, and also has a mild laxative effect.
And another important property of this cereal for the human body is that it does not accumulate harmful toxins - nitrates, radionuclides, etc. This allows us to consider lentils an environmentally friendly product, regardless of the variety and region of growth.
We create a diet menu correctly
When choosing lentils as a means of losing weight, it is better to decide in advance what the method of consumption will be. There are two nutritional plans that will help you lose excess weight without a “hunger strike,” as well as physical and emotional exhaustion. They are designed for different time periods, so the amount of lentils eaten per day will differ.
Strict week
This method involves eating lentils for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. That is, it is essentially a mono-diet, which is not so difficult to follow due to the species diversity of the main ingredient. Lentils can be cooked in any way. The main thing is to minimize the use of other products.
A necessary condition for the lentil diet is a sufficient amount of clean still water and, if you feel well, physical activity. In this case, the result of seven days of weight loss will be “goodbye” to two or more kilograms of excess weight without loss of muscle mass.
Classic version
The diet of this method of eating is softer and will appeal to connoisseurs of lentils. It is balanced in the amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates, so it is not forbidden to follow it for one to three months. At this time, dishes from any variety of lentils should be eaten for lunch and dinner (or afternoon snack), supplementing them with other healthy foods.
During the diet you will only have to give up:
- Sahara;
- excessive use of fat;
- canned food;
- fast food;
- white bread;
- store-bought sauces;
- industrial juices and alcoholic beverages.
Losing weight in this way occurs slowly (about three kilograms will be lost in a month). But the result will remain stable. In addition, the body will prepare for a complete transition to proper nutrition without stressful “jumps” in the menu.
One day of such a diet might look like this:
- breakfast – cereal porridge with water and coffee without sugar;
- lunch – a large portion of thick lentil soup with a spoon of natural unsweetened yogurt and whole grain bread;
- afternoon snack – a glass of low-fat kefir;
- dinner - steamed white fish steak and 100 g of lentil puree with garlic and herbs.
How to choose the right lentils
There are several types of this product on store shelves. Before you go shopping, you need to choose lentil dishes for weight loss.
Lentils are:
- Red. It has a spicy taste. It boils down fairly quickly. Mashed potatoes, porridge and even soups are prepared from this variety. They will please even the most picky gourmet.
- Brown. The smell is vaguely nutty. Soups and stews with a thick consistency are prepared from this type of lentil.
- Green. This is an excellent ingredient for salads. It does not get soft during cooking and has a certain piquancy.
- "Beluga". Outwardly, it looks like caviar. This type of lentil is unique in that it is suitable for both porridges and soups.
Composition of lentils
Before moving on to what can be prepared from lentils, it is necessary to better understand its composition and beneficial properties. Moreover, lentils are considered a dietary product, since they contain only 50 grams of carbohydrates, approximately 24 grams of vegetable proteins, and about 1 percent fat.
If we talk about the composition, it is very rich:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B
- Folic acid
- Iron
- Iodine
- Magnesium
- Potassium
And many other microelements necessary for the normal functioning of the body. In addition, due to the presence of isoflavones in the product, it should be used to prevent cancer (from childhood), osteoporosis, and at the onset of menopause for women.
It is noteworthy that lentils are not capable of accumulating toxins, and therefore are considered not only an excellent dietary product, but also a very healthy cereal, which can and should be consumed at any age.
Despite the amazing composition and beneficial properties of the cereal, there is one rather unpleasant feature that complicates its cultivation, and, accordingly, its collection. On one stem, half of the pods may be ripe while the other half is still green. This is what complicates its collection, since you have to do it selectively, and there is no way to wait until everything is ripe.
And given the mechanized harvesting today, this becomes simply impossible. Therefore, lentils grow and are grown in the modern world mainly in India, where there is a lot of cheap labor.
Lentil diet for weight loss
This weight loss method is designed for seven days, but if after this time no special weight loss effect appears, then it is recommended to repeat this diet after about thirty days.
- Breakfast: drink half a glass of natural low-fat yogurt, eat any fresh fruit;
- Second breakfast: drink a full glass of any juice;
- Lunch: eat two tablespoons of pre-cooked boiled lentils, the same amount of brown rice, you can season it all with a little soy sauce, and it is also recommended to add 10 milliliters of olive oil. Or you can use tomato paste;
- You can replace brown rice with pearl barley, millet or barley porridge. It is not forbidden to put a small amount of herbs in the dish, it can be fresh parsley, dill or cilantro, at your discretion, and you can also season the food with lemon juice;
- Afternoon snack: prepare lentil soup - puree. For one serving you will need two tablespoons of this legume, which should be boiled in 300 milliliters of boiling water, after which the mass is passed through a blender, you can add fresh parsley and a little salt to taste;
- Dinner: prepare a vegetable salad and eat 200 grams of boiled lentils;
- At night, it is recommended to drink a glass of low-fat kefir.
As you can see from the menu, the diet contains only vegetable protein, so you can additionally take amino acid supplements, of course, if you actively train daily.
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Lentil recipes for weight loss
Dietary thick lentil soup
Soup ingredients:
- Lentils – 2 cups (350-400 g)
- Vegetable or chicken broth from breast – 5 glasses (1-1.5 liter approximately).
- Onion – 1 pc. (small)
- Carrot – 1 pc. (small)
- Pepper mixture, bay leaf
- Garlic – 1-2 small cloves
- Fresh herbs for garnishing soup
Preparation:
It is best to prepare soup from red lentils: they have a rich taste and are easy to cook and become soft.
Pre-soak the lentils for 20-30 minutes, then pour in the broth and cook.
Add bay leaves and garlic to the soup, add spices and cook over moderate heat for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are soft.
Finely chop the onion and grate the carrots, fry the vegetables in 1 tbsp. oils, adding water. Then add the roast to the soup.
Cover the pan with a lid after turning off the heat and let the soup brew. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.
Dietary lentil puree
Ingredients for puree:
- Red or green lentils - 1 cup (full)
- Water – 2 cups (can be replaced with vegetable or lean broth)
- Bay leaf – 1 pc. (small)
- Vegetable oil – 1-2 tbsp. (you don't have to add it)
- Fresh dill (chopped, 1 tbsp.)
Preparation:
Pre-soak the lentils for half an hour. This will allow it to soften and speed up the cooking time.
You will need to cook for approximately 20 minutes over moderate heat, add the bay leaf to the water.
After cooking, let the lentils sit for a while under the lid, and then drain off the excess water.
Grind the lentils in a blender, add oil. Place the finished puree on a plate and garnish with dill.
Is it possible to gain kilograms: the opinion of nutritionists
Many people who are planning to lose weight are primarily interested in the question - how much can you eat so that the weight goes away and does not increase. It seems that if we draw an analogy with other cereals, the proposed diet should increase weight, and not vice versa. But this is not true: you won’t get fat on simple lentils. Of course, if you cook soup or puree with fatty meat broth and eat it all with warm white bread, it will be difficult to keep your kilograms unchanged. If you act wisely, then with the help of lentils it is quite possible to get rid of 4–5 kilograms in a week. But, having decided to go on a lentil diet, you need to remember a few simple rules:
- During the diet, you need to drink as much fluid as possible. It is optimal if it is plain water or green tea.
- It is best to soak green or brown lentils for 8 hours before cooking.
A little bit of history
Not everyone knows, but in ancient times, lentils were mainly eaten only by rich people, since they were considered a very healthy product and were prepared simply and in combination with almost everything. There are references to the fact that in ancient Egypt, farmers grew this particular crop, and then either ate it themselves or sold it to rich people.
If we talk about Greece, then it was mainly the poor who ate lentils with almost everything, and sometimes even instead of bread.
As for Russia, it is surprising, but in the recent 19th century, lentils were one of the leading cereals that were exported to other countries. Moreover, so much of it was grown that it was enough not only for Europe, but also for its citizens. But at the end of the 19th century, this cereal literally saved the entire country from famine. That planting season (1891) there was a severe drought and as a result all the cereals died, and only lentils survived.
The Soviet Union also planted a lot of lentils.
Due to some circumstances, as well as due to huge imports into Russia, it gradually faded into the background, and today few people prepare dishes based on this grain.
