These Recipes Will Make You Believe the Hype About Lentils (2)

Try some recipes

Looking for ways to incorporate more lentils into your routine? Check out these recipes.

Vegan Lentil Tacos

Keep Taco Tuesday going strong with vegan lentil tacos from Delish Knowledge! The lentils replace the beef, but keep the tacos just as hearty. Get the recipe!

Vegan Lentil Loaf

If you want meatloaf without the meat, go with this vegan lentil loaf from Yummy Mummy Kitchen. The rest of the recipe calls for much of the same ingredients as your mom's famous meatloaf. Get the recipe!

Cajun Spices Smokey Vegan Sloppy Joes

Another beef favourite, sloppy joes, can be easily made with lentils. The Cajun spices in this dish from Vegan Richa will have you craving more! Get the recipe!

Warm cumin roasted carrot, red onion, and lentil salad

Sure, you've got that main dish down, but it needs the perfect salad. Try this warm cumin roasted carrot, red onion, and lentil salad from Deliciously Ella. Enjoy it as a main dish, or serve on the side! Get the recipe!

Spiced vegan lentil soup

 Nothing says cool weather is coming like soup. Try out this spiced vegan lentil soup from Cookie + Kate. In less than an hour, you've got the perfect side for the whole family. Get the recipe!

Crockpot sweet potato lentils

Crockpot lovers will dig these crockpot sweet potato lentils from Pinch of Yum. With vegetable broth and coconut milk in the mix, this warm and hearty dish makes a good sidekick to any main dish. Get the recipe!

Flourless lentil chocolate brownies

It will be lots of fun to disguise lentils in these flourless lentil chocolate brownies from kiipfit. They don't take much more effort than your traditional brownie recipe. Plus, dates and pecans add extra delight. Get the recipe!

                                    

                                     No-bake chocolate peanut butter lentil cookies

There's no combo like peanut butter and chocolate. Now, throw some lentils in there with these no-bake chocolate peanut butter lentil cookies from the Recipe Rebel! Get the recipe!

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These Recipes Will Make You Believe the Hype About Lentils

These Recipes Will Make You Believe the Hype About Lentils

That's right, lentils are all the rage — thanks to the trendsetting royal 4-year-old. After word got out that the London school Prince George attends serves puy lentils topped by smoked mackerel, the U.K. saw a surge in demand for the legumes. Perhaps this craze will carry over to the United States.

So if you're ready to jump on the bandwagon, here's the info on these popular legumes.

Known to be heart-healthy

A lentil is an edible pulse. As a bushy annual plant of the legume family, it’s known for its lens-shaped seeds. The seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. Chickpeas, beans, and peas are also part of the pulses group and are all an excellent source of fiber and protein.

“A diet rich in pulses, which includes lentils, is linked to a lowered risk of cholesterol and heart disease, reduced risk of certain cancers, and reduced instance of obesity,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, nutritionist and author of Belly Fat Diet for Dummies.

For vegetarians, lentils provide plant-protein, adds Dawn Jackson Blatner, dietitian and author of The Superfood Swap. “They are also a source of fiber and minerals such as iron and zinc, which can be hard nutrients for vegetarians to get enough of,” she says.

Make a great Replacer:

Since lentils are a great carrier of flavor, Palinski-Wade says they’re often used in traditional meaty dishes to either replace the meat or to make the meaty dish heartier.

“For instance, lentils can replace most or all of the sausage in lasagna,” she says.

Blatner agrees, noting that you can incorporate lentils into recipes that you would normally use ground beef in, so that meatballs, meat-marinara sauce, meatloaf, and ground beef taco filling become lentil-based and meat-free — just like in her favorite meatball recipe!

Sweets can get in on the fun, too. Flour in traditional baked good recipes, such as brownies, can be swapped out with lentils to increase the fiber and protein content of the recipe, notes Palinski-Wade.

Whether you want to be like (or eat like) Prince George, or simply want to add variety to your diet, Blatner says you can't go wrong with these legumes.

“Lentils are an incredibly versatile food and can be incorporated into almost any meal or snack,” she says. “They can be enjoyed alone or as part of a recipe for an easy, affordable way to boost your fiber and protein intake.”

 Try some recipes

Looking for ways to incorporate more lentils into your routine? Check out these recipes.

Lentil and eggplant lasagna

Who doesn't like lasagna with a twist? Ditch the traditional dish and bring something different to the table with this lentil and eggplant lasagna from the Minimalist Baker! Get the recipe!

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The 8 Best Natural Diuretics to eat or drink (cont 5-8)

5. Hibiscus

Hibiscus is a family of plants known for producing beautiful and brightly coloured flowers.

One part of this plant, known as the calyces, has commonly been used to make a medicinal tea called “roselle” or “sour tea.”

Although there is limited evidence, sour tea is said to have a number of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure in people with hypertension (14).

It’s also promoted as a diuretic and an effective remedy for mild fluid retention.

So far, some lab and animal studies have indicated that it may have a mild diuretic effect (15, 16).

 One study in Thailand gave 18 people 3 grams of hibiscus in sour tea daily for 15 days. However, they found that this had no effect on urine output (14).

Overall, results have been mixed. Despite seeing a diuretic effect in animals, small studies in people taking hibiscus have so far failed to show any diuretic effect (14, 17).

SUMMARY:Hibiscus may have a mild diuretic effect. However, it has not yet been proven effective in a human study.

6. Caraway

Caraway is a feathery plant also known as meridian fennel or Persian cumin.

It’s often used as a spice in cooking, especially in foods like bread, cakes and desserts.

Ancient therapies that use plants as medicine, such as Ayurveda in India, use caraway for a variety of medicinal purposes, including digestive disorders, headaches and morning sickness (18).

In Moroccan medicine, caraway is also used as a diuretic.

One study in rats found that giving caraway extract in liquid form significantly increased urine output over 24 hours (19).

However, this is the only study on the diuretic effects of caraway, so much more research is needed before proving its diuretic effects, especially in humans.

SUMMARY:Caraway has been shown to increase the urine output of rats over 24 hours. However, there are no human studies, so more research is needed.

7. Green and Black Tea

Both black and green tea contain caffeine and can act as diuretics.

In rats, black tea has been shown to have a mild diuretic effect. This has been attributed to its caffeine content (20).

However, as is the case with coffee, you can develop a tolerance to the caffeine in tea. 

This means that the diuretic effect is only likely to occur in people who do not regularly drink tea (3).

SUMMARY:The caffeine content of green and black tea has a mild diuretic effect. However, this effect wears off as people build a tolerance to it. It’s therefore unlikely to act as a diuretic in those who regularly drink these teas.

8. Nigella Sativa

Nigella sativa, also known as “black cumin,” is a spice promoted for its medicinal properties, including its diuretic effect (21).

Animal studies have shown that Nigella sativa extract can increase urine production and lower blood pressure in rats with high blood pressure (22, 23, 24).

This effect may partly be explained by its diuretic effects (25).

However, no human studies have been carried out. Therefore, it’s unclear whether Nigella sativa has a diuretic effect in people or animals who don’t have high blood pressure.

Additionally, the doses used in the studies were much higher than the amounts you would get by adding this herb to your food (25).

SUMMARY:Animal studies have shown that Nigella sativa may be an effective diuretic for animals with high blood pressure. Its effects in people and animals with normal blood pressure are unknown.

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The 8 Best Natural Diuretics To Eat Or Drink

Diuretics are substances that increase the amount of urine you produce and help your body get rid of excess water.

This excess water is called water retention. It can leave you feeling “puffy” and cause swollen legs, ankles, hands and feet.

Various factors can cause water retention, including some serious underlying health conditions like kidney disease and heart failure.

However, lots of people experience mild water retention due to things like hormonal changes, their menstrual cycle or simply being inactive for long periods of time, such as during a long flight.

If you have water retention due to a health condition or experience sudden and severe water retention, you should seek medical advice from your doctor immediately.

However, for cases of mild water retention that aren’t caused by an underlying health condition, there may be some foods and supplements that can help.

Here are the top 8 natural diuretics and a look at the evidence behind each one.

1. Coffee

Coffee is a very popular drink that has been linked to some impressive health benefits.

It’s also a natural diuretic, mainly because of its caffeine content (1).

High doses of caffeine between 250–300 mg (the equivalent of about two to three cups of coffee) are known to have a diuretic effect (2).

This means that drinking a few cups of coffee could cause an increase in urine production.

However, a standard serving of coffee, or about one cup, is unlikely to contain enough caffeine to have this effect.

Additionally, if you’re a regular coffee drinker, you’re likely to develop a tolerance to the diuretic properties of caffeine and experience no effects (2, 3).

SUMMARY:

Drinking one to two cups of coffee may act as a diuretic and help you lose some water weight in the short term. However, you can build a tolerance to coffee’s diuretic properties and not experience any effects.

2. Dandelion Extract

Dandelion extract, also known as Taraxacum officinale or “lion’s tooth,” is a popular herbal supplement often taken for its diuretic effects (4, 5).

It’s been suggested as a potential diuretic due to the high potassium content of the dandelion plant (6).

Eating potassium-rich foods signals your kidneys to pass out more sodium and water (7).

This may be a good thing, as most modern diets are very high in sodium and low in potassium, which can cause fluid retention (8).

In theory, the high potassium content of dandelion means that this supplement could help you shed excess water caused by a high sodium intake.

However, the actual potassium content of dandelion may vary, thus so may its effects (6).

Animal studies investigating the diuretic effects of dandelion have found mixed results (4).

There are only a few studies on its effects in people. However, one small human study found that taking a dandelion supplement increased the amount of urine produced in the five hours after taking the supplement (9).

Overall, little is known about the diuretic effects of dandelion in people, so more studies are needed (4).

SUMMARY:

Dandelion extract is a popular herbal supplement thought to be a diuretic due to its high potassium content. One small human study found that it had diuretic effects, but more research is needed.

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14 SIMPLE WAYS TO STOP EATING LOTS OF SUGAR

8. Avoid Sugar-Filled Breakfast Foods

Breakfast cereals are among the worst when it comes to added sugar.

One report found that some of the most popular ones contained over half of their weight in added sugar.

One cereal in the report contained over 12 teaspoons (50 grams) per serving, which made it 88% sugar by weight.

What’s more, the report found that granola, which is usually marketed as “healthy,” has more sugar than any other type of cereal, on average.

Popular breakfast foods, such as pancakes, waffles, muffins and jams, are also loaded with added sugar.

Switch to these low-sugar breakfast options instead:

• Hot oatmeal: Add some chopped fruit if you like it sweet.
• Greek yogurt: Add fruit and nuts for extra good calories.
• Eggs: Boiled, poached, scrambled or as an omelette.
• Avocado: Packed full of nutrition and healthy fats for energy.

Choosing a low-sugar option with high protein and fibre at breakfast will help you feel full until lunchtime, preventing unnecessary snacking.

Summary: Breakfast cereals are among the worst culprits for added sugar, along with pancakes, waffles and jams. Switch to low-sugar options such as eggs, oatmeal or plain yogurt.

9. Read Labels

Unfortunately, eating less sugar isn’t as easy as just avoiding sweet foods. You’ve already seen that it can hide in unlikely foods, including some breakfast cereals, granola bars and dried fruit.

However, some savoury foods, such as bread, can also contain a lot of added sugar. Two slices can contain 1.5 teaspoons (6 grams) (25).

Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to identify added sugars on a food label. Current food labels don’t differentiate between natural sugars, such as those in milk or fruits, and added sugars.

To see if a food has sugars added, you will need to check the ingredients list. It is also important to note the order in which sugar appears on the list, since ingredients are listed in order of the highest percentage first.

Food companies also use more than 50 other names for added sugar, which makes it more difficult to spot. Here are some of the most common:

• High-fructose corn syrup
• Cane sugar or juice
• Maltose
• Dextrose
• Invert sugar
• Rice syrup
• Molasses
• Caramel

Thankfully, identifying sugar in packaged food in the US just got much easier.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has changed their rules so that companies have to show the amount of added sugar in their products on the ingredients label in grams, along with a percentage of the daily value (26).

Companies have until 2018 to change their labels to comply.

Summary: Always read food labels to check for sugar by its many names. The closer to the beginning it is on the ingredients list, the greater percentage of sugar the product contains.

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14 SIMPLE WAYS TO STOP EATING LOTS OF SUGAR

6. Check for Sugar in Canned Foods

Canned foods can be a useful and cheap addition to your diet, but they can also contain a lot of added sugar.

Fruits and vegetables contain naturally occurring sugars. However, they’re not an issue since they do not affect your blood sugar in the same way that added sugar does.

Avoid canned foods that are packed in syrup or have sugar in the ingredients list. Fruit is sweet enough, so go for versions that are labelled with “in own juice” or “no added sugar.”

If you buy canned fruits or vegetables that do have added sugar, you can remove some of it by rinsing them in water before you eat them.

Summary: Canned foods, including canned fruits and vegetables, may contain added sugar. Always read labels to ensure you choose versions without it.

7. Be Careful With So-Called “Healthy” Processed Snack Foods

Most people know that candy and cookies contain a lot of sugar, so they may look for “healthy” snack alternatives.

Surprisingly, snacks like granola bars, protein bars and dried fruit can contain as much, if not more, sugar than their unhealthy rivals, such as chocolate bars.

Some granola bars can contain as much as 8 teaspoons (32 grams) (24).

Dried fruit is full of fibre, nutrients and antioxidants. However, it is also full of natural sugar, so it should be eaten in moderation.

Some dried fruit also contains high quantities of added sugar. To avoid this, look for ingredients labels that say “100% fruit.”

Or try these healthy snack ideas instead:

• A handful of nuts: Packed with good calories, protein and healthy fats.
• Trail mix: Make sure it’s just nuts and dried fruit, without added sugar.
• No-added-sugar jerky: Full of protein and low in calories.
• Hard-boiled egg: This super food is high in protein, vitamins and minerals.
• Fresh fruit: Contains natural sugar to satisfy those sugar cravings.

Don’t be fooled by the “healthy” marketing messages on some snacks. Be prepared and take low-sugar snacks with you when you’re on the go.

Summary: So-called healthy snacks, such as granola and protein bars, can contain lots of added sugar. Be prepared and take low-sugar snacks like nuts and fresh fruit with you when you’re out and about.

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14 SIMPLE WAYS TO STOP EATING LOTS OF SUGAR

4. Eat Full-Fat Foods

Low-fat options of your favourite foods — peanut butter, yogurt, salad dressing — are everywhere.

If you’ve been told that fat is bad, it may feel natural to reach for these alternatives, rather than the full-fat versions, when you’re trying to lose weight.

However, the unsettling truth is that they usually contain more sugar and sometimes more calories than their full-fat counterparts.

A 4-ounce (113-gram) serving of low-fat vanilla yogurt contains 4 teaspoons (16 grams) of sugar and 96 calories.

The same amount of full-fat plain yogurt contains just over a teaspoon (5 grams) of naturally occurring milk sugar and only 69 calories (16, 17).

Another example is an 8-ounce (237-ml) coffee made with whole milk and no added sugar, which contains half a teaspoon (2 grams) of naturally occurring milk sugar and 18 calories (18).

In contrast, the same amount of a low-fat mocha drink contains 6.5 teaspoons (26 grams) of added sugar and 160 calories (19).

High sugar intake has also been shown to cause weight gain, which negates the reason you might have chosen a low-fat food in the first place (20, 21).

When you’re trying to cut your sugar intake, it’s often better to choose the full-fat version instead.

Summary: Low-fat foods may contain more sugar and calories than full-fat versions. It is often better to choose full-fat versions when you’re trying to reduce your sugar intake.

5. Eat Whole Foods

Whole foods have not been processed or refined. They are also free of additives and other artificial substances.

At the other end are ultra-processed foods. These are prepared foods that contain salt, sugar and fats, but also substances not usually used in home cooking.

These substances can be artificial flavors, colors, emulsifiers or other additives. Examples of ultra-processed foods are soft drinks, desserts, cereals, pizzas and pies.

Ultra-processed foods differ from standard processed foods, which usually only have minimal ingredients added, all of which you might find in a standard kitchen.

Examples of standard processed foods are simple bread and cheese (22).

90% of the added sugars in the average American’s diet come from ultra-processed foods, whereas only 8.7% come from foods prepared from scratch at home using whole foods (22).

And it isn’t just junk food that contains high amounts of it.

Seemingly healthy options like canned pasta sauce can also contain alarming amounts. One serving (128 grams) can contain nearly 3 teaspoons (11 grams) (23).

Try to cook from scratch when possible so you can avoid added sugars. You don’t have to cook elaborate meals. Simple tricks like marinating meat and fish in herbs, spices and olive oil will give you delicious results.

Summary: Whole foods are free of added sugar and other additives commonly found in processed foods. Eating more whole foods and cooking from scratch will reduce your sugar intake.

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