Lentils during breastfeeding are considered a rich source of protein, which is necessary for the normal development of the baby. Due to the large amount of useful substances, legumes allow a young mother to quickly restore strength and energy after childbirth.
The usefulness of legumes is due to the presence of the following beneficial properties:
- strengthening the immune system;
- restoration of strength, prevention of apathy;
- breast cancer prevention;
- removal of toxins and waste;
- lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels;
- preventing the development of pathologies of the cardiac system.
Including lentils in the diet allows you to saturate and enrich the body with nutrients. Due to the low calorie content of legumes, weight gain does not occur when consuming such a product. Nutritionists classify lentils as a dietary product and advise people who control their body weight to include it in the menu.
During lactation, a woman’s body often experiences a deficiency of vitamins, and consuming lentils, due to its high folic acid content, helps improve the condition of nails and hair. The risk of developing an allergic reaction to the product is minimized, which is important during breastfeeding.
What contraindications exist?
Whether you can eat lentils while breastfeeding depends on how much time has passed after childbirth, and whether there are individual contraindications. Experts say that it is possible to include legumes in the diet only 3 months after the birth of the baby. Like any new product, lentils must be consumed with caution, monitoring the baby’s reaction to the innovation.
Contraindications for use are:
- the baby’s tendency to flatulence, the presence of dysbacteriosis;
- diseases of the digestive tract and digestive problems;
- a woman’s predisposition to the formation of stones in the gall bladder or kidneys;
- chronic joint diseases.
Certain standards have been established for a nursing mother, by adhering to which you can get the maximum benefit and not harm the baby. Violation of the rules of use is fraught with the appearance of increased gas formation and flatulence not only in the woman, but also in the child. Abuse and violation of recommendations for the use of lentils can lead to digestive and stool problems in infants.
How to properly introduce the product into the diet?
The period of a milk diet for a mother imposes a number of restrictions and requires the consistent introduction of new products into the daily diet. The first technique is to prepare a dish based on lentil broth. In this case, grains are not consumed, but only a few spoons of decoction are used. After using the liquid, the baby’s reaction is observed within 2 days.
In the absence of digestive problems and allergic reactions in the form of rashes and itching of the skin, legumes can be included in the menu.
Any specialist will answer whether a nursing mother can eat lentils, and that moderation is necessary in everything. For the first time, you can consume no more than 10 pieces of lentils per day. If signs of a negative reaction of the baby to a new product appear, grains are excluded from the diet for 4 weeks, after which the attempt is repeated again. If no problems arise within a week, then the number of grains can be increased to 25. Lentils must be consumed after proper heat treatment. Before use, it is imperative to select high-quality grains and wash them.
Manufacturers today present 4 varieties of lentils:
- beluga or black - considered a rare species, has soft skin and rich taste, recommended for salads, stews, soups, and has good compatibility with cereals;
- Egyptian or red - cooks in 10 minutes, the absence of a shell allows the grains to boil quickly, is well suited for making purees, porridges, and can be combined with various types of meat and fish;
- brown - the most common type, it requires soaking before cooking for 12 hours, the lentil mixture is boiled for 40 minutes;
- green - is an unripe type of brown lentil, boils for 30 minutes and retains its shape well, suitable for making casseroles, main courses, and goes well with vegetables.
Regardless of the chosen variety, when purchasing, you need to pay attention to the quality of the grains. Lentils must be whole, dry, have a smooth surface and no foreign odors. It is necessary to store the product in an airtight container and prevent moisture from getting on the grains, as they quickly become soggy and lose their beneficial qualities.
What to cook with lentils?
There are a lot of recipes for dishes with lentils during breastfeeding. All types of lentils go well with meat, so this product is often added as an ingredient when preparing pilaf. The red variety is recommended for purees and liquid soups. The brown variety gives soups a unique nutty flavor. Green and black varieties do not soften when cooked, so they are most often used as a side dish.
Light airy salad
The presented salad recipe contains dried fruits, the inclusion of which is necessary during breastfeeding. Such products are safe for babies and contain a large amount of useful microelements and vitamins. Recipe of dish:
- lentil grains - 100 grams;
- peeled apple - 1 pc.;
- dried apricots - 4 pcs.;
- light feta cheese - 100 grams;
- raisins - 50 grams.
The salad is salted and seasoned with vegetable oil. If desired, you can add a little dill, which will give the dish a special taste and aroma.
Chicken and lentil soup
During breastfeeding, the soup broth is cooked in a special way. After 3 minutes from the start of boiling the pan with chicken, the liquid is drained and new water is added. To prepare a vegetable dish you will need:
- chicken fillet - 300 grams;
- fresh zucchini - 250 grams;
- red lentils - 150 grams;
- celery - 1 piece;
- carrot - 1 piece;
- potatoes - 3 pcs.
After the chicken fillet is cooked, diced potatoes, carrots, and vegetables are successively added to the broth and cooked for 10 minutes. Lastly, add the grains and zucchini and keep the pan on the heat for another 15 minutes. The soup is salted to taste. To add flavor, greens in the form of parsley and dill are added to the finished dish.
Rules for preparing lentil fruits
After sorting and removing defective grains, you must rinse them under running water. For soaking, water is used in the proportion of 2.5 glasses for each glass of product. The grains are added to boiling water, and the boiling time is determined depending on the type of legume.
Salt is added to the container only at the last stages, 15 minutes before turning off the heat. It is necessary to periodically monitor the water level; it should not fall below the grains. If you add salt at the beginning of cooking, the cooking time of the product increases almost 2 times. Spices are added to the dish at the same time as salt. Goes well with legumes:
- red pepper;
- curry;
- caraway;
- garlic;
- cilantro.
You can check the readiness of cooking with a fork, which should easily enter the grains. If lentils that have been stored for a long time are used for cooking, the cooking time will increase compared to the norm. You should not allow old and new grains to mix, otherwise they will cook unevenly and the taste of the dish will be spoiled.
