Lentils: from comfort food to a healthy staple
I didn’t give any thought to lentils’ health benefits back when I was a child, I just knew the lentil soup I regularly ordered when my dad took me out for lunch on Manhattan’s Upper West Side would hit the spot perfectly.
June 9, 2015
I discovered lentils when I was ten years old. My family had moved to Kathmandu, Nepal for work, and we had promptly become de facto vegetarians – there was very little fresh meat available in one of the world's poorest countries.
As the daughter of a gastroenterologist, I had a healthy appreciation for fibre thrust upon me at an early age. I've also loved cooking for as long as I can remember - my mom likes to tell the story of a time I was three, and asked when I could cook for myself.
As a sports nutritionist who works with professional and competitive athletes, I’m always searching for tips and tricks that give my clients a competitive edge, and in my book, lentils are a must-eat fitness food.
As a sports dietitian when it comes to adding key nutrients to athletes eating routines, you can’t beat lentils; they provide plant-based protein, soluble fibre, insoluble fibre, folate, potassium, iron, and manganese. Each aspect of nutrition that lentils deliver is essential for athletes!
