Being healthy is just not a statement, it is a very crucial and important thing for us. Focusing on our health should be our priority before anything else. As we all know that the world is surrounded by millions of diseases. If we are not conscious about our health, it can cause us major drawbacks like developing a life-threatening health condition. More overly if you are healthy, you can live your life to its fullest. In this article we will address the question: Are lentils keto?
Diet is a thing that plays a significant part in a healthy lifestyle. It is often quoted that healthy outside starts when you have a healthy inside. The dietitians have developed such diet plans that guide you towards a more wholesome life. The ketogenic diet is one of the popular diets. It is not popular, just because a lot of celebrities or influencer follows it. But it is because of its positive results. The diet delivers what it claims.
Understanding Carbs and Lentils
The keto diet is a diet that is low in carbs, high in fat, and moderate in protein intake. [1] The carbs percentage allowed in this diet is only 5 to 10% [2] of your daily intake. This diet triggers a metabolic process of ketosis in your body. Ketosis is the production of energy by utilizing fat because the carbs are inadequate for the production. People follow this diet for a couple of reasons. The most common reason is weight loss and others may include; the regulation of diabetes, hypertension, etc.
When people decide to go on a keto diet. They often get confused about the things that they should or not. Not all the peoples have professional dietitians for themselves. Their only source of information is the internet. Likewise, the one question often asked by the people is are lentils a keto meal.
Lentils are a type of legumes that includes different beans, peas, etc. They are packed with protein, minerals, fibers, and other nutrients that are very beneficial for human health. [3] The taste of lentils is very nutty and earthy. The sharpness of its taste is very mild, it is not very pungent or strong. Lentils are being used in a variety of dishes. They are a must part of our daily eating routines. They are often used as a high protein source. But are lentils keto?
Are Lentils Keto?
The straightforward answer to this question is NO. Lentils are not a keto-friendly item. The reason behind this is that lentils are a food that is high in both carbs and fibers. [4, 5] So, it does not fulfill the requirement of a keto diet. Lentils have a lot of health benefits for the human body. But if you eat lentils on a keto diet, it will still provide you the benefits, not the ones related to your obesity. It will not help you to lose weight. Instead, eating lentils will disturb your keto pattern.
You can eat lentils on the keto diet if you are doing it for the maintenance of your blood sugar levels or some other medical condition. [7] However, the eating portion should be small and without oil. But if you are on a strict ketogenic diet and you want to lose weight. Then there is no possibility of eating lentils.
The explanation of why you should not consume lentil son a keto diet is as follow:
Nutritional value of lentils:
The nutritional value [8] of 1 cup cooked lentils with no salt or fat content is as follow:
- Fiber: 14 grams
- Carbohydrates: 36 grams
- Proteins: 16 grams
- Fat: 0.1 grams
- Sugars: 3 grams
- Sodium: 350 milligrams
- Total calories: 206 Cal
These values clearly show that the carb content of the highest in lentils. Afterward, there is protein, fiber, and so on. The above nutritional facts also conclude that lentils are a food item that is very low in fat content.
The nutrient requirements are opposite from the ones that are applicable in a ketogenic diet.
Are Lentils High in Carbs?
Yes, lentils are high in carbs rather than protein or fat. The protein is moderate in it while the fat is negligible. Because of this, it is not a keto-friendly food item. If you are not on a keto diet, you can consume it in whatever way you want. You can still consume if you are on a diet that is not low in carbs.
Are Lentils Protein or Carbs:
We often say that lentils are a good source of protein but the nutrient content tells us that it is high in carbs content. So, the question that arises here is are lentils proteins or carbs? This is a very big debate that has been around for a long time. Some people think that this food item is a protein source and some think that it is a source of carbs.
However, the professional’s point of view is a little bit different than others. They say that lentil is a food variety that is high in carbs. The protein content of it is half compared to carbs. So, the answer to the question is that lentils are carbs, not proteins. When you eat them, you mostly consume carbs with moderate protein and fiber content.
Although, the nutrient content of protein is less than carbohydrates in lentils, still, they are a great source of it. The available protein value is very high and also pretty adequate. That’s the reason, it is a major meat alternative for vegetarian meals.
Is Lentil Soup Keto-Friendly?
Soup is a very used food item in different diets and meal plans. It is considered a healthy option rather than a bad one. People often make this concept in their mind that soup is a nutritional meal. If we cannot eat cooked or baked lentils. We can consume them in the form of lentil soup. So, the question that arises here is that is lentil soup keto-friendly? The answer that people assume is yes but in reality, lentil soup is not a ketogenic food option.
Even if you consume it without any fat or added spices or ingredients, it is still not allowed. The carbs content stays there whether you boil it or bake it etc. The lentils are high in both net and total carbs, even in a soup form.
Are Garbanzo Beans Keto?
Garbanzo beans are also known as chickpeas. It is one of the famous and most commonly used lentil kinds. It is a very healthy and fulfilling food option. It is often used in vegan meals as a protein substitute. But are garbanzo beans keto? People want the answer to this to be yes but unfortunately, it is no.
The reason behind it is that chickpeas are a food that is high in carbs rather than fat or protein. A half-cup serving [9] of chickpeas contains about 14 carbs of the net and total carbs. This carb content is not valid for a ketogenic diet. So, it is not a keto-friendly item
However, if you crave chickpeas when you are on the diet. The good news is that you can have it. But there are some specific instructions for it.
- First of all, it should be in the form of hummus not in a raw or mashed way.
- Secondly, there should not be any added oil or ingredients in the hummus.
- And lastly, you can only consume about 2 tablespoons (2 g of carbs per serving) of it with celery or cucumber, not with carrots or another option.
The hummus dip is the only way you can consume chickpeas on a keto diet. But always according to the instructions.
Keto-Friendly Lentil Substitutes
There are just a few options if you want to add lentils to your keto diet plan. The keto lentils include;
Black soybeans
Green beans
These are the only Lentil option that you can have on a ketogenic diet. But there are some rules for it. You can only consume a very small portion of it. The portion should be 90 grams exactly not more than that.
The beans should be cooked without any major fat content
Extra ingredients or spices are not allowed.
Both these beans have a low carb content which makes them favorable for keto. But the instruction should be kept in mind while preparing them.
Why Lentils are Not a Keto-Friendly Food Item?
Lentils are not a keto-friendly item because of their high carb content. They do not fulfil the requirement of a ketogenic diet. However, you can have lentils in the form of hummus on keto in a very calculated portion. There are also some beans that you can use in a keto diet. They include green beans and black soybeans. Except for these two, no other lentil is allowed on a keto diet.
Conclusion
Lentils are a food which is being used all over the world. People love the simplicity of it. It is also very versatile; you can customize it however you want. Unfortunately, on a keto diet, you cannot consume lentils. As they are high in carbs and low in fat. But if eating lentils is one of your cravings. You can have some alternatives that can give you the same taste. These alternatives include hummus and some beans variety.
