Lentil should occupy a great part in a healthy diet

Lentils, Lens Culinaris, belong to the Family of Fabaceae. It is an edible legume. The types of lentils are the followings;  brown, black, red and green. Using these cooked lentils we prepare different dishes due to their different tastes and consistencies. Example the cooked brown lentils are suitable for soups, the red lentils are used for puree and the greens and blacks are tasty in salad.

Lentils contain high level of proteins, so eating lentils you can replace meat in meals. They are also a very good source of dietary fibres. Lentils are excellent source of foliate, thiamine, vitamin B1, B6, pantothenic acid and minerals; potassium, manganese, iron, copper, phosphorous, zinc, molybdenum and selenium.

Consumption of plant foods like lentils can reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and decrease the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The selenium in lentils prevents inflammation and reduces tumour growth rate. The calcium, potassium and magnesium can help to decrease the blood pressure.

According to the facts above lentils should occupy a great part of your  healthy diet.

Red lentil soup

Red lentil	Cup
Chopped red pepper	1
Chopped onions	3
Chopped tomatoes	2
Water	600ml
Salt	1 tsp
Turmeric	1tsp
Greek yogurt	2 tbsp

Cook the 1-7 ingredients for 10-15 minutes. Add the Greek yogurt before serving. 

Healthy Gluten- Free Snack

Ms H

The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is a flowering plant species in the Arecaceae palm family farmed for its edible sweet fruits.

Nutritional values:

Dates are good source of dietary fibre, carbohydrates, sugar and protein. They contain essential minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, magnesium and zinc. They also contain vitamins such as folate, vitamin A, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.

Health benefits:

·      Dates are the perfect snack for an immediate burst of energy due to their high natural sugar: glucose, fructose and sucrose contents. 

·      Dates consist of organic sulphur, which has a meaningful amount of health benefits, including the reduction of allergic reactions.

·      The vitamins and the potassium promote a healthy and responsive nervous system and also improve the speed and alertness of brain activity.

·      They are helpful in keeping your heart healthy and reducing the risk of stroke and other heart related diseases.

·      Dates are frequently used as a cure for alcoholic intoxication.

·      Recent research has shown that dates may reduce the risk and impact of abdominal cancer. 

·      Minerals present in dates are beneficial to bone health.

·      Eating dates may reduce night blindness.