Lentils & Role of FIBRE in our diet
We’ve all heard of fibre, but what exactly is fibre? To put it simply, it’s indigestible carbohydrates found in plants. They provide nutrients to bacteria in our gut, which helps reduce harmful bacteria in our colon, moreover protects the gastrointestinal wall, and prevents inflammatory diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, and Crohn's disease. Other benefits include encouraging regular bowel movement and preventing constipation; helps prevent colon cancer; leading to fewer hemorrhoids and diverticula (outpouchings) in the colon. One surprising benefit you might not expect is fibres stabilise our blood sugar levels! Fibres contain a lot of complex carbohydrates, which takes longer, if at all, to break down in our guts, and avoids the spike in blood sugar level we get when eating simple carbohydrate foods. It also makes your heart healthier, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and controls your appetite, since the high fibre content helps you feel fuller and prevents you from overeating.
In terms of health, because lentils are a source of prebiotic fiber, which is the type your gut bacteria prefers, they can help improve gut health.
So how much fibre is there in lentils and how much do we need of them? If you are a man, you will need 30-38g of fibre, and 20-25g if you are a woman. A cup of lentils contains around 15g of fibre, while it’s dry weight can contain up to 31% of fibre. So one cup of lentils is already half of your recommended daily intake!
