Lentils are very high in nutrients like molybdenum, folate, iron, B1 and zinc.  1 cup of cooked lentils has 17 grams of protein and 15 grams of fibre.  If you have weak digestion, soak and rinse lentils first to remove the protective coating for easier digesting.  I want to give an added shout out on the fibre aspect of lentils because it is very true that just by increasing fibre you can benefit many systems of your body - heart/improve cholesterol, digestion, immune, detoxification, hormones and much more.  Fibre is a big helper for controlling blood sugar and gives you slow burning energy.

You can precook lentils and add them to salads, make dips, combine it with other nice side dish options, or toss it into your favourite soups.  I find it very easy to add lentils into most soups that I make and it cooks right in the soup - no additional time or effort needed. The bonus is that you just boosted your protein and fibre content of your soup!  Just be sure to add a ratio of 3 parts liquid to 1 part lentils more to your soup to account for the loss of liquid into the lentils. For adding lentils to soups, you can start small. Even just 1/4 cup is a great start with lots of nutrients in a small amount.

Check out this lentil salad recipe by Inspire Health for a great, healthy dish!