Mental over Lentils

One thing that does my head in is when people say that “eating healthy is expensive” or “it is so difficult to stick to”. Depending on what you define as ‘healthy’, these statements may hold some truth. If your idea of healthy living involves popping weight-loss pills/meal supplements or severely restricting your calorie/carb intake, sticking to it in the long-run is less than feasible. I know you’ve probably heard it numerously and I constantly go on about it, but just eat whole, natural food as much as possible. Whether your aim is to lose weight or achieve optimal health, sticking to a ‘clean’ diet 80% of the time will give you that and more!

Take the superfood lentils for example. They’re probably the Indian equivalent to meatloaf in America: not always the most exciting thing to eat but nonetheless a total comfort food. They also pack quite a punch. This superfood gives you protein and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, as well as about twice as much iron as other legumes. Not too shabby for something considered to be ‘peasant food’ eh? Don’t stop there! Lentils’ low GI value also means they are great for diabetics and/or those who want to lose weight. Unlike refined grain products like white toast, the nutrients in lentils are released slowly into the body slowly, keeping us fuller for longer and energized. Lentils are also higher in most B vitamins and folate, which is especially important for women of childbearing age because folate reduces the risk of birth defects. Go for black lentils and you’ve got yourself an antioxidant that helps protect against heart disease, cancer, and the aging process in general. Great things come in small packages? I THINK SO!

Personally my favorite way to eat lentils is in the form of a South Indian daal (sambar), but they also make fun salad toppings. I found this recipe for a lentil loaf which shall be my next endeavor. And on a final note about costs: please remind me the cost of pastrami/other processed forms of meat. Whatever it is, I bet it doesn’t light a candle to lentils: less than a dollar for a 1-pound bag :D.

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