Gut Health
Lentils
A fast-cooking legume that delivers more folate per serving than almost any other whole food.
Heart Health
Gut Health
Energy
Serving
1 cup, cooked (198g)
Calories Per Serving
230
Key nutrients
Folate, fiber, plant protein, iron
Nutrient density
104
Why it’s worth eating
Lentils are loaded with protein, fiber, iron, and folate. They promote digestive and cardiovascular health. Use lentils in soups, stews, or salads for a filling and nourishing meal.
What you may notice
Satiety and energy stability
Digestive comfort
Markers worth tracking
Fasting iron and ferritin
Fasting blood glucose
How to eat it
No soaking needed, lentils cook in 20-30 minutes; add an acidic ingredient like tomato only near the end, since acid can toughen them if added too early.
Pairs well with
Rice or whole grains, completes the amino acid profile
Vitamin C foods, improves absorption of lentils' non-heme iron
Storage
Store dried lentils in an airtight container indefinitely; refrigerate cooked lentils for up to a week.
The numbers, per 1 cup, cooked (198g)
3%
Vitamin K
0%
Vitamin A
3%
Vitamin C
3%
Calcium
37%
Iron
17%
Magnesium
16%
Potassium
0%
Vitamin B12
0%
Vitamin D
Fiber
15.6g
Lentils, mature seeds, cooked (FDC 172420)
Evidence
A
Highest-quality evidence in the legume group, from pooled RCT meta-analyses rather than bean-specific trials. High heterogeneity (I2=80%) and Pulse Canada co-funding.
Study dose vs. serving
Median 130 g/day (about half to three-quarters cup cooked) lowered LDL 0.17 mmol/L (~5%). Glycemic trials averaged 152 g/day. Realistic serving, though the CMAJ authors note most North Americans would need to more than double current intake.
Ha V, Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ, et al. CMAJ. 2014;186(8):E252-262. DOI 10.1503/cmaj.131727. 26 RCTs, n=1037. Co-funded by Pulse Canada.
Use caution if
You have IBS or are FODMAP-sensitive, legumes are a common trigger; start with small portions
You take levothyroxine, high-fiber meals like lentils can reduce absorption if taken too close together
Details
Type
Fats
Season
Pantry, year-round
Forms
Dried, canned, sprouted, flour
Price
Budget
Bioactive
Resistant starch and soluble fibre
Heat stable
Yes - cooking then cooling forms resistant starch, lowering effective glycemic load
Watch
Phytates reduce mineral absorption; soaking then cooking removes about 76% of phytic acid.
Reliability
4 / 5
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