Consuming legumes such as lentils during pregnancy can provide you with nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, manganese, and potassium. These nutrients, especially folate, are important for the healthy growth and development of the baby. Lentils can also provide you with good amounts of fibers and proteins and make for a healthy replacement for meat. Making lentils part of your balanced diet can let you reap several benefits through your pregnancy (1) (2). Read on to know the benefits of lentils during pregnancy and how to incorporate them into your daily balanced diet.
Nutritional Benefits Of Lentils During Pregnancy
The taste, color, and size of lentils vary depending on the place they are derived from. Lentils can be categorized into small grains, lentil beans, and larger grains. In this article, we will be exploring the nutritional benefits of lentils for a healthy pregnancy:
Important Tips
While lentils are rich in nutrients, you need to take care to retain all the vital properties. Here is what you can do:
Lentils are rich in iron, which helps keep anemia at bay. One cup contains 12.5mg of iron (3). The vitamin C in citric fruits help in the absorption of iron (7). Avoid drinking tea or coffee with your meal, as this will reduce the absorption of iron. You must not exceed the cooking time of lentils to avoid loss of essential nutrients. Lentils are a source of protein, but they are not complete proteins meaning they do not contain all the amino acids. To enhance the protein profile of lentils, we can add quinoa, white or brown rice, or carrots. These pairings are normally referred to as complementary proteins.
Lentil Cooking Tips
There are different types of lentils and not just the green ones that you see. Here are some easy cooking tips that might be helpful for you (8):
Lentils do not require to be soaked before cooking like other pulses. Wait for the consistency you want; if you are having them in a salad, make them firm. If you are preparing lentil soup during pregnancy, make them softer to relish the taste. Add flavors you want in the lentils. Crushed garlic and herbs can alter the taste completely. If using canned lentils, rinse them under water for a minute to reduce the sodium content.
