For overweight people, it is useful to know how lentils are beneficial for weight loss in order to include the product in their diet. It is known that for those losing weight, it is important to eat dishes that are low in calories, but whose components supply the body with sufficient quantities of vegetable proteins. Substances that remove water and toxins from tissues help remove excess fat. It is necessary for the metabolic processes of a fat person to occur faster, then the body weight will be normal. Dishes made from lentils will help cope with the problem of extra pounds.
Varieties of lentils: which one to choose for weight loss
There are several types of lentil cereals. Each of them is suitable for preparing first and second courses:
- Red lentils are used for cooking porridge and purees, as the product boils quickly. The neutral taste of a legume dish allows it to be combined with meat, fish, and vegetables. Dietary fiber in red cereals regulates metabolic processes. Bright beans contain substances that are a source of energy.
- Tender brown lentils are used to make soups. This product is suitable for consumption by elderly people and people with dysfunction of the digestive tract.
- Black grains of the legume product have high antioxidant activity. The peculiarity of the cereal is that it does not boil well. But black beans will decorate salads and soups whole.
- Green lentils are the healthiest. Unripe grains will relieve intestinal problems and force the organ to more actively process food. Salads, cereals, and soups are prepared from green cereals. Uncooked grains are suitable for preparing a side dish.
All types of herbal products will benefit people trying to lose weight. It is important to choose the cereal that suits a person’s tastes. Although most Green lentils are considered healthy, but red is also easily absorbed by the body.
Composition of the product
Lentils for weight loss are an ideal herbal product. It contains enough:
- dietary fiber, or fiber, which dulls the feeling of hunger;
- protein replacing meat and eggs in the diet;
- nicotinic acid, which acts on the breakdown of fats in the body;
- magnesium, involved in the digestion process;
- iron, which prevents exhaustion of the body.
By eating dishes made from legumes, you can saturate the body with the elements it needs, while getting 100–120 kilocalories from 100 grams of the product. At the same time, the energy balance does not decrease, the person does not feel exhausted or tired. And the blood sugar level returns to normal. This is important for diabetics, many of whom are overweight.
About the benefits of lentils for weight loss
The beneficial properties of lentils for weight loss include the ability for obese people to:
- get a minimum of calories;
- to be satisfied without feeling undernourished or satiated;
- get your daily dose of vitamins and beneficial elements;
- guarantee the stability of the nervous system;
- normalize blood glucose levels;
- support the intestinal microflora, stimulating the motility of the organ mucosa;
- promote the removal of toxins and waste from the body.
The benefit of lentils for weight loss is also to free the body from consuming plant products containing nitrates and radionuclides. Toxins do not accumulate in beans, so the plant is considered a clean environmental product.
Lentil diet recipes
When to include a lentil dish in the menu, nutritionists will tell you about it. Nutrition experts believe they can gradually lose weight when they replace one or two meals with legumes. It is better not to include lentils in breakfast. For lunch, you can make red lentil soup. Only sauteed onions, carrots and tomato paste are added to the dish. The next day, prepare a side dish in the form of puree. After boiling the grains, the cereals are whipped using a blender.
Meatballs made from red lentils are also tasty.Add crushed garlic (30 grams), breadcrumbs (40 grams), chopped walnuts (20 grams), egg, and spices to lentil puree (200 grams). The product is fried in a frying pan and served with sauce. Diet cutlets are also prepared in a similar way.
In salads, green halves of grains, pre-boiled, are combined with pumpkin, feta cheese, bell peppers, red tomatoes, and herbs.
If a legume product is used as a side dish, then take lean meat, passing it through a meat grinder. Chicken meat stewed or boiled is also suitable.
To prepare flatbreads for 100 grams of lentil puree, you need to take one egg, half a tablespoon of oatmeal, and a tablespoon of chopped onions. Having formed round cakes, bake in the oven at a temperature of 180 degrees.
When going on a classic diet, you need to set yourself up for slow weight loss over 2-3 months.
To get quick results, those losing weight should replace most of the dishes in their diet with lentil ones. Then in a week they lose up to three kilograms of weight.
What harm can lentils cause to the body of someone losing weight?
The negative effect of legumes on humans must be known in order to eliminate it by reducing the rate of consumption of the product. Lentil dishes are contraindicated for those who suffer from:
- joint diseases;
- gout;
- dysbacteriosis;
- gallbladder dyskinesia;
- hemorrhoids.
Those who have poor gallbladder function should not indulge in cereal grains. After all, the load on the organ will lead to the formation of stones and difficulties in digesting food.
Too much plant protein is not always healthy. If, after a lentil diet, dysfunction of the digestive organs occurs, then it is worth giving up the product for a while and limiting its consumption.To ease the work of the stomach, the cereal must be thoroughly boiled. Before cooking, the halves of the grains are soaked for 1–2 hours.
The components of the plant seeds contribute to increased gas formation in the intestines. For older people, cereal is useful, but with limitations.
To include lentils in your diet, you need to determine the benefits and harms of the product.
Opinion on the lentil diet for weight loss
Nutritionists unanimously say that lentils should be included in the diet. It has more benefits than harm for those who want to lose excess weight. The positive thing is that lentils can be cooked as an independent dish. It has a pleasant aroma and interesting taste. The product contains a lot of B vitamins. Cereals are a source of folic acid, iron, dietary fiber, and protein. Together with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, microelements in cereals help you become slim and beautiful without compromising your health.
Reviews from those losing weight about lentils and the peculiarities of including the product in dietary dishes are also positive.
Alisa, 23 years old:
“I have been obese since childhood. I have always loved buns and sweets. Wrong nutrition led me to the fact that my figure is decorated with folds of fat on the sides and on the stomach. At the age of 20, I decided to normalize my diet. I understood that it would be difficult to achieve results right away. On the advice of a nutritionist, I began to include lentils once a day. It's easy to prepare. Red and green lentils taste good and cook quickly. To diversify the menu, I prepared both second courses and first courses. And I serve cereal salads to my friends. After two months I felt that there were fewer wrinkles. I continue to work on myself. Lentil seeds helped my friend lose ten kilograms.”
Anatoly, 36 years old:
“After thirty, I began to gain weight quickly. And working in an office and driving a car only helped me gain weight. Shortness of breath, big belly, heart problems. Everything in the heap suggested the idea that you need to change your diet and lifestyle. At first I lost weight by fasting and drinking kefir alone. But he was always hungry. I came across an article about lentils. I decided to try it, and my wife supported me; she prepared various dishes for me using lentils. We tried all types of cereals. Everything is tasty and nutritious if you cook it with love. Now the stomach is gone. Sports and walking help keep the body in good shape. With the legume product, the nervous system returned to normal, the heart works like a clock. I hooked my friends on the product, who didn’t know how to rid themselves of age-related problems.”
