[00:00:00] Jenn Trepeck: Welcome to Salad with a side of Fries. I'm your host, Jen Tpic, talking wellness and weight loss for real life. We're here to clear up the myths, misinformation, bad science and marketing to teach you how to eat and how to cheat. Are you ready? I'm having salad with a side of fries. This week we're talking about black beluga lentils.

[00:00:27] So surprisingly we haven't done a nutrition nugget on lentils, you know, which surprises me because, you know, really considering how much they've grown in popularity with more and more people focusing on plants and plant sources of protein. So a little fun fact, their first rise in popularity was actually back during World War II because they were an affordable meat substitute.

[00:00:52] So, while you might not use them regularly, they are a food staple in Mediterranean Middle Eastern [00:01:00] countries like Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, like, you know, use mostly there. But interestingly also the world's largest lentil producer today is Canada. So, fun facts for your next barbecue or you know, dinner party.

[00:01:17] So, alright, what are these things? So lentils are little gluten-free legumes similar to others in the legume family. Like beans and peas. They grow in pods most commonly identified by color. So the most common colors are green, brown, green, red, and black. So Brown or European lentils tend to be the least expensive.

[00:01:43] They stay pretty firm with cooking, so think of them as an alternative to like black beans if you are gonna make a plant-based burger. They're also pretty good in soups because they really like hold their texture. Green lentils are also called French lentils. They have a little [00:02:00] nuttier of a taste. They also hold their firmness when cooking, and often people use them in salads, sometimes in soups.

[00:02:08] But if you're gonna do, you know, green lentils with soup, you'd probably need to like puree the soup if you wanted it smoother. Like a split pea soup, right? A lentil soup. They tend to like hold their own pooey. And I may be butchering the name, but they come from the French region Le. I don't know. It's PUY, whatever.

[00:02:29] They're similar in color to green lentils, but they're about a third of the size and they taste a little more peppery. And then red lentils cook the fastest, have the, you know, a really mild, maybe even a little sweet flavor. They get very soft when cooked. So you'll see these a lot in soups and purees.

[00:02:49] And then finally, black lentils. The focus of our conversation today. So these are the tiniest. Type, which is why they're sometimes called beluga lentils because they kind of look like [00:03:00] caviar and they are the most nutritious of all the varieties, so that's why we're focusing on them today. The black beluga lentils, so they're kind of like black beans in flavor, like pretty earthy.

[00:03:14] Definitely savory. They pair well. Frankly, with almost anything from veggies to both animal and plant proteins. Now I'm gonna say it again. The black beluga lentils are the most nutritious of the lentils. So let's look at that nutrition. So in one cup, by the way, one cup of these lentils is a lot of food.

[00:03:38] You're probably not going to have the whole thing. But anyway, so one cup. 223 calories, 0.8 grams of fat with 0.2 grams being saturated fat. They have 38.4 grams of carbs, of which it's 15.4 grams of fiber. [00:04:00] There's 3.8 grams of sugar in there from the naturally occurring sugar, and then it's 17.3 grams of protein, so almost two and a half ounces of protein and over 15 grams of fiber.

[00:04:12] And then they also give us vitamins and minerals, so we get some calcium, a bit of potassium, lots of iron and folate. So again, it's part of why they're so appealing as a plant-based protein because many people get their iron and B vitamins from animal protein. Now, depending on the package you read and the serving size, you may see these nutrition facts, you know, vary a bit.

[00:04:35] The difference though, tends to be, you know, really proportional to this based on the serving size. So with these nutrition facts, we can think great source of plant protein and fiber, right? On the protein front, we said it's almost two and a half ounces almost. They're not a perfect protein, so it means we don't get all of the essential amino acids from them.

[00:04:58] It does not mean it's [00:05:00] a deal breaker, right? What it means is that we may also want to have some whole grains or use lentils for variety versus our only source of protein. And then for the fiber, right? We know fiber supports gut health, immune health, overall GI function, and elimination. So many benefits with the micronutrients.

[00:05:23] Often we think of the color of foods giving us different phytochemicals. So with the black beluga lentils, similar to what we learned about with black rice, right? They're high in phytochemicals and antioxidants. So with all of this combined, we see research supporting lentils for weight management, right?

[00:05:43] Protein, fiber. There's also some research that says there's other pieces to that in the weight management efforts, but also. Heart health, blood sugar support, potentially even some types of cancer prevention There, there was a study that showed improved cholesterol levels [00:06:00] in people with type two diabetes.

[00:06:01] There's also research connecting proin and flavonol. So these are antioxidants found in lentils. They have anti-inflammatory properties and neuroprotective effects in addition to cholesterol. The potassium and lentil supports normal blood pressure levels. We also know folate. The B vitamin protects the heart and supports formation of red blood cells.

[00:06:25] So this might be particularly interesting if you're pregnant, and folate may also prevent excess homocysteine from accumulating in the body. So again, contributing to overall health, but especially cardiovascular health. One study on rats showed lentils had greater reduction in blood pressure than chickpeas, peas, or beans.

[00:06:48] And because of the iron, some people will notice more energy with lentils than other plant protein sources. Here's the thing though. Be careful how much you have and how you [00:07:00] make them. So eating too many or too much, whatever may cause cramping and gas, of course. We know that we want to slowly increase our fiber intake so that can help you tolerate more of the lentils.

[00:07:14] You know, like we talked about with chia seeds, right? You know, slowly increase. You may hear people talk about antinutrients in lentils, so this is true. There are antinutrients in lentils, and it doesn't mean that we need to totally avoid them. So as a refresher, antinutrients are compounds that naturally occur in foods which may impair nutrient absorption in the body.

[00:07:40] So let's look at a couple for a second that are in lentils. So lentils contain trypsin inhibitors. So trypsin inhibitors block the body's production of an enzyme that breaks down protein from food that we eat. The amount of trypsin inhibitors in lentils seems to be relatively low, so therefore [00:08:00] unlikely to really have a major impact.

[00:08:02] Lectins you've probably heard of, I feel like they're a pretty popular, if that's a way to phrase it, but a more well known anti nutrient. So lectins don't really break down indigestion, and then they bind to other nutrients, and because they bind to those other nutrients, we can't absorb them. Because lectins can bind to carbohydrates on the gut wall.

[00:08:27] If you have a lot of lectins, it could potentially impair the gut barrier, which then has a whole host of implications, right? Like. Autoimmune, leaky gut, things like that, so just worth noting. On the other hand though, lectins may also have anti-cancer and antibacterial properties. Lentils contain tannins, so tannins also bind to proteins and prevent ideal or optimal absorption.

[00:08:55] And then finally, phytic acids or phytates can bind to minerals [00:09:00] like iron and calcium reducing absorption. At the same time, there's also research that shows phytic acid has strong antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. So here's the thing, with all of these antinutrients, like I said, it's not a deal breaker.

[00:09:15] It doesn't mean that we need to avoid lentils specifically, right? We're talking about black beluga lentils today. So soaking them overnight if you want, and then cooking them decreases the anti nutrient impact. Right. So do both or frankly, I mean, a lot of times you're probably fine with just rinsing the lentils so that they don't have dirt on them, and then cooking them, but cooking and if you want the added anti nutrient impact, you could soak them also.

[00:09:46] So with all of that said, how do we enjoy them? So, like I said, you might wanna soak them overnight, definitely rinse them, and then you cook them. You need the lentils, liquid, maybe water or stalk. [00:10:00] Heat and time on the stove top, you're doing one and a half cups of liquid for one cup of lentils. If you're gonna do like a slow cooker, you need more of a ratio of like four to one, so four cups of liquid for every one cup of lentils.

[00:10:17] And then on the stove top, black lentils are gonna take about 25 to 35 minutes. What's great though is that you can really make a batch and then have 'em in the fridge. You can add them to salads or other veggies, use them as a base for a salad instead of pasta. If you wanted something like that. You could use them and puree them into a dip or to thicken a sauce, and cold ones make a soup, right?

[00:10:43] The options are kind of endless with lentils, especially the black beluga lentils. Some people add a bay leaf or other seasonings to the water, like if you're cooking grains. Some people do that again, using stock instead of water can add more flavor. [00:11:00] Essentially, you're gonna bring it to a boil. Then turn it down to a simmer and let it cook uncovered if they're not done.

[00:11:07] It seems like there isn't enough liquid. Just add more water, it's gonna be fine. How do you know when they're done? You want them to be soft, but slightly crunchy like they have a texture, right? Unless, if you really wanna like cook 'em to smithereens and puree them or something for a soup, you could do that.

[00:11:26] And then once they're done cooking, you'll drain the liquid. If you wanna stop the cooking process, rinse them with cold water. Then keep 'em in the fridge, freeze 'em like in the fridge. I'd say they probably last about five days or so in the freezer. They can last like three months. You know? I think it's cool if you buy dried lentils, put them in an airtight container, they'll keep for probably about a year, you know, provided like cool, dry location in your pantry.

[00:11:55] And I think you know, the reminder here is that these were instructions. The [00:12:00] timing was really for black lentils. That's the most nutritious variety why we're focusing on them. If you have other kinds of lentils, either check the internet or follow the instructions on the package. Like just for reference split red lentils can cook in like five minutes.

[00:12:16] So just for perspective. So there you have it, the scoop on black beluga lentils and more, right? A little bit on lentils in general, but the black beluga lentils are the most nutrient dense of all the lentils. They're easy to make, easy to use, pack a punch of protein, fiber, iron, folate, potassium, and more.

[00:12:36] They're truly a fantastic way to add variety to your plate and some plant-based protein. Well, as always, everybody, I'm your host, gen Trebeck. Connect with me on Instagram or all social media. I'm at Gen Tpic, J-E-N-N-T-R-E-P-E-C-K. Website is a salad with the side of fries.com. Pick your platform, send a message hearing from you is the highlight of my [00:13:00] day, your key takeaways, your ideas, your questions.

[00:13:02] This is also the easiest way to learn more about working with me. And friends. If you are not already a member, join us in the Happy Healthy Hub. You'll go to a salad with the side of fries.com/membership. This shows your support for this podcast, this community, and of course, your health. On top of this week's episode, in full video with Behind the Scenes pieces and your 24 7, ask Me Anything, you'll get this week's recipe for the Mediterranean wrap.

[00:13:30] Well, friends, that's it for today's episode of Salad with a Side of Fries. Congratulations for making yourself and your health a priority. Thanks so much for joining us. Be sure to click subscribe or follow on your favorite podcast platform. Share us with a friend and we'll be back next week. Always remember you deserve it and you are worth it.

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