Long have I wondered what it is about lentils that keeps them from the American dinner table. I think I finally figured it out: Americans don’t find lentils sexy. Steak? Sexy. A martini? Sexy. A filet of anything? Sexy.
I decided lentils deserve to be on the sexyfoods list, alongside ceviche and caviar. Here’s why:
Heart Attacks Are Not Sexy
Exactly. This is why you should eat lentils. Diets heavy in lentils are associated with fewer cardiovascular events. So next time, if choosing between a lentil soup or a cream of broccoli, go for the lentil soup.
Gut Bacteria is a Hot Topic
Microbiomes are all the rage. Just imagine how heads will turn when you casually drop words like prebiotics and gut flora into an otherwise stagnant conversation. Go further and let people know that lentils are full of prebiotic fiber that helps your gut bacteria grow. And for a laugh, discuss how gas is just your microbiome micromanaging its meals. A healthy gut gotta ferment.
Who Doesn’t Love Muscles?
And it takes protein, abundant in lentils, to build said muscle. Despite arguments on the bioavailability of lentil protein, there is plenty to go around. My serving size of red lentils is a half cup of dried lentils per person (at least). This is 36 grams of protein in a cup of my lentil soup.
Open Wounds? Definitely Not Sexy
Good skin is sexy, and lentils provide an array of micronutrients, including zinc, which helps with wound healing and immune function. Also present in lentils is folate, essential for cellular function and healthy embryonal neural tube development.
Inflammation is Kind of a Turn Off
And lentils are anti-inflammatory! Whereas processed foods and red meats essentially aggravate your tissues, lentils have a cooling and relaxing effect, like a spa day for your cells and blood vessels. Imagine a mosquito bite (a pop tart or bacon, in this analogy) causing inflammation: red, swollen, maybe even oozing skin. Now imagine lentils sweeping in as a creamy lotion that soothes your dermis and your senses. Definitely sexy.
Anemia Does Not Do It For Me
Anemia makes you fatigued, weak, pale. How can you help avoid anemia? Iron! And, as you may have guessed by now, lentils are high in iron. To increase your body’s absorption of the iron in lentils (or any plant based iron), consume your iron with a vitamin C rich food, like a squeeze of lemon juice or some strawberries. Here is more information on iron-rich foods so you can choose vigor and vitality over weakness and fatigue.
That’s It
If all this still hasn’t convinced you that lentils are absolutely a sexyfood, I give up. But deep down, I know a few of you are starting to eat more lentils, and your kids are growing up knowing lentils are a hearty (and heart-healthy) meal choice, as a soup, on salad, or in a patty on a veggie burger. Here is my basic lentil recipe for my newfound converts.
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References:
Alexander, Rachel et al. “Health-promoting benefits of lentils: Anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects.” Current research in physiology vol. 7 100124. 5 Mar. 2024, doi:10.1016/j.crphys.2024.100124
