A plant-based source of protein, fiber and potassium, red lentils are a cheap and tasty dish that's packed with nutrients. One of the distinguishing features of red lentils is that they contain more protein and potassium than most other types of lentils.
Bright red in appearance, it breaks down a bit more easily and has a more pulpy texture when cooked. It also has a slightly sweeter taste than other types of lentils.
The nutritional value of 1/4 cup dry (uncooked) red lentils
- Calories - 190;
- Total carbohydrates - 33 g;
- Sugar - 1 g;
- Fibers - 7 g;
- Total fat - 0.5 g;
- Saturated fat - 0 g;
- Protein - 12 g;
- Sodium - 0 mg;
- Potassium - 500 mg;
- Iron - 3 mg.
Although all types of lentils are excellent sources of protein, red lentils have a slight edge over green, brown and French lentils, reaching 12 grams for each 1/4 cup serving.
While all varieties of lentils are a good source of potassium, red lentils are the most important. It contains 500 mg of potassium per 1/4 cup serving, compared to only 325 mg in yellow lentils and 430 mg in green lentils. If you want to increase your potassium intake, red lentils are a great option.
Perhaps the biggest downside to choosing red lentil consumption over some of the other types is that it contains more calories than any other type of lentils studied.
If you're looking to cut carbs or follow a low-carb diet, choosing red lentils won't be the best option for you, since red lentils contain 33 grams of carbs per 1/4 cup serving.
In conclusion, it can be said that the differences between the nutritional value of red lentils and that of other types of lentils are minimal. Despite these modest differences, every type of lentils (including red) are packed with nutrients and offer many health benefits.
So you can't miss delicacies like red lentil soup. This variety of lentils is also ideal for preparing red lentil side dishes or lentil salads.
Read more on how to cook red lentils properly.
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