Whether the economy is good or bad, it is always nice to be able to eat healthy and cheap. Lentils are often overlooked as a health food. They are one of the healthiest foods we can eat and lentil stew is a great way to eat lentils.
Lentils are cheap, costing $1.99 per pound as of late 2009. Vegetarians often wonder if they are getting enough protein in their diet. Vegetarians read certain books that scold and tell them they aren’t getting enough protein and parents and friends all tell them the same thing.
The Nutrients of Lentils
In the following nutritional values for lentils, the amounts of the nutrients per cup of lentils are for cooked lentils, not dry.
Vegetarians are concerned that they might not be getting enough protein. You usually won’t see a daily value percentage for protein on packages since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes that protein deficiency is not a concern. That is because the standard American diet is full of animal protein, too much in fact.
The amount of protein a person needs is based on their weight. This is usually figured as .365 grams of protein per pound a person weighs. A person who weighs 170 pounds will need 170 times .365, which is 62 grams of protein per day, or .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
One cup of lentils has almost 18 grams of protein. In a normal bowl of lentil stew, there can be at least two cups of lentils, which would be 36 gram of protein. That is right up there with beef and fish without the fats and cholesterol.
Folate is the natural source of vitamin B9. The folate in fortified foods and vitamins is folic acid. The RDA for folate is 400 mcg (micrograms or ug) per day and 600 mcg for pregnant women. One cup of lentils has 358 mg of folate.
Fiber is also important and is usually mentioned as an important part of our diets. Americans and other western countries do not get enough fiber in their diets. Fiber is helpful with losing weight and keeping you at a healthy weight. Fiber makes you feel more full so you won’t eat as much. Fiber also keeps your digestive system working properly and flushes fats out of your body. The FDA says that we need between 20 and 30 grams of fiber per day. Some say we need more than that. For most people eating a standard American or western diet with plenty of protein from animal foods, they aren’t getting nearly enough fiber, since food from animal has very little if any fiber. Lentils are one of the foods that are high in fiber with one cup of lentils having 16 grams. With two cups of lentils in your bowl of lentil stew, you will be getting at least 32 grams of fiber.
Lentils also have a good amount of potassium with 731 mg per cup. That is more than one banana. Lentils have 71 mg of the heart healthy magnesium per cup, 2.5 mg of zinc, 356 mg of phosphorus and 1 mg of manganese per cup.
Lentil Stew Recipe
The great thing about cooking your own meals is you can play around with the ingredients and amounts. This is the basic ingredients and amounts I have used, but I am still trying to get the seasoning right.
This is using a 5-quart pot.
Olive oil for sautéing
1-½ cups of dried lentils
1 large onion diced
2 medium unpeeled red potatoes diced.
2 or 3 large carrots sliced
8 to 10 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth, you can also use water or a combination.
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
In the large stockpot, sauté the onions and potatoes with olive oil until brown. Add the carrots and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, broth and lentils. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. If this stew is going to be too thick and you would rather have a thinner stew, add more broth or water.
Curry Lentil Stew
I have experimented with different seasonings. You can add curry powder (or paste) to the pot when it is simmering for a curry lentil stew. For a hotter curry stew, try adding some of the hot curry pastes or even chili powder. Start with 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Continue to taste as it cooks adding more if desired. The curry pastes come in different levels of hot or heat.
Italian Lentil Stew
I also tried this with Italian seasonings, garlic, oregano and a bay leaf (don’t forget to take it out). I preferred the curry flavor. Add these ingredients when it is simmering.
The cost of the basic stew, minus the seasonings was about $4.45 for this entire pot of stew. The curry and Italian seasonings would last through numerous pots of stew.
© 2009 Sam Montana
Guide to Healthy Foods and Nutrition
