Red Lentil - लाल मसूर

The health benefits of red lentils

Lentils are affordable, highly nutritious legumes. With a variety of texture, taste and colours, lentils are a pantry staple in various cuisines globally.

High nutritional value

Red Lentils are a welcome food for vegans and non-vegans alike because of their high nutritional value that can be easily added to your diets. It is also a great meat substitute that won’t weigh you down and may help in your weight loss regimen.

High in protein

One cup serving of red lentils has 17.8 grams of protein which satisfies 32% of the daily protein requirement for men and 38% for women. Although red lentils do not have enough amino acids, eating them together with other sources of plant-based protein like whole grains and black beans can complete the amino acids that your body needs in a day.

Rich in B-vitamins

Red lentils are superior in providing B-vitamins. They are high in vitamin B6, pantothenic acid and thiamine. And cooked red lentils have 358 micrograms of vitamin B9, also known as folate. Eating just one cup of cooked red lentils each day provides 90% of the 400 micrograms of folate needed daily by adults

Source of iron

There are 6.6 milligrams of iron in one cup of cooked red lentils.

Men need 8 milligrams of this mineral, so one cup of red lentils provides 82% of their daily requirement for men. Women, on the other hand, need 18 milligrams of iron, thus one cup of cooked red lentils provides 37% of the recommended daily intake of this mineral for women.