While animal proteins are easy to access, getting the best plant-based proteins can be challenging due to a lack of knowledge and the scarcity of the adequate product in our supermarkets. It’s a known fact that lentils are a great source of proteins, but do we know which form of lentil is the best one and provides the most protein? No, right! Then let’s introduce you to the extraordinary world of lentils and the essential nutrients they bring to our diet.
Lentil is an absolute vegan delicacy that is one of the body’s most proclaimed sources of essential amino acids. Eliminating animal proteins and dairy could deprive you of dense proteins. The best way to not let your body experience the deprivation is to replace the animal proteins with plant proteins such as soybean or lentils. Lentils are the most excellent source of plant proteins. There are multiple types of lentils, each one with its unique amino acid composition. You can choose the type of lentil that suits your taste, but we recommend having a healthy mix of these and achieving a balanced diet every day.
What are Lentils?
Lentils are leguminous seeds grown in pods. They are small in size and appear like seeds. They are packed with amino acids enriching them in proteins. The carbohydrate and fat content is limited in lentils. This property makes them the perfect healthy food option for everyone. Even if you are following a keto or a low-carb diet, lentils can be an ideal option.
An even better thing about the lentils is that it’s super easy to cook. You can just boil them with some salt and have them as lentil soup. To make it spicy, add some split green chilies or salt and pepper, and if someday you aren’t interested in the mundane texture of your lentil, spice it up with some veggies while cooking and make yourself a perfect bowl of lentil stew.
Several lentil-based edibles, such as lentil bread, pasta, and lentil chips, are available in the market. However, a quick look into YouTube can also give you the best lentil-based recipes so that you can include them as a staple food in all your meals. Believe us, lentils are extraordinary, and one can cook in multiple ways that every meal will be nothing but a chef’s specialty.
Which are the Best Lentils?
There are multiple variants of lentils. The question here is, which one is the best out of them? There is no straight answer to this question. Each lentil has some unique composition- some may have an excellent fiber content while others may be highly proteinaceous. There are several other prominent factors that one must keep in mind as well. For example, if you are on a diet plan for weight loss or management, you must choose lentils with relatively low-calorie content.
Out of all the available types of lentils, Puy Lentils are the best when it comes to high protein and low-calorie combinations. One cup of Puy lentils has 36 grams of prints and very low carbohydrate and calorie content. Lentils are excellent to consume if you are following some resistance training regime. Among all types of plant-based protein sources, lentils seem to have the best protein and carbohydrate combination.
Lentils come in different types of shapes, sizes, and colors. They are nutritionally different from each other. Let us have a close comparison of the various types of lentils and their nutritional content.
| Lentil Type | Calorie | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrate | Fiber |
| French Green | 440 calories | 36 g | 0 g | 72 g | 56 g |
| Puy Lentils | 400 calories | 36g | 0 g | 64 g | 48 g |
| Yellow Lentils | 226 calories | 18 g | 0.8 g | 39 g | 16 g |
| Green Lentils | 230 calories | 17.9 g | 0.8 g | 39.9 g | 15.6 g |
| Red Lentils | 226 calories | 18 g | 0.8 g | 39 g | 16g |
| Brown Lentils | 230 calories | 17.9 g | 0.8 g | 40 g | 16 g |
| Black Lentils | 170 calories | 13 g | 0.5 g | 30 g | 9 g |
Types of Lentils
There are various types of lentils that vary according to their appearance and nutritional content. Let’s know in detail about the different types of lentils whose nutritional comparison we just discussed:
French Green Lentils
French green lentils are plain green lentils in reality. The only fact that distinguishes them is that they are mostly grown and found in France. They are like regular green lentils. The green lentils are small in size and found in a dark green shade. The volcanic soil of France induces nutritional competencies in this type of lentil.
French green lentils have a high calorie and protein content. It also has the highest carbohydrate content and fiber proportions out of all the lentil types. About 45 gm of the French green lentil consists of 29 gms of Carbohydrates, 7 gm of Fiber, 12 gm Protein, 4% of Calcium, and 15% Iron.
French green lentils are an excellent food for anyone who has protein deficiency disorders. It can form a staple diet item for vegans to meet their protein needs.
Puy Lentils
They are a sub-variant of French green lentils. As you can see in the above table, they are very close to green lentils in terms of calorie and protein content. It has lower calorie content, which makes it a perfect combination of low calories and high protein content.
Puy lentils (1 cup cooked) have 36 grams of protein which is a bold source to meet the protein needs of vegans. It can be an great addition to your staple diet if you follow any weight loss and management regime. Even if you are someone who religiously follows a keto diet, the Puy lentils can be a good option. It tastes incredible, and you can prepare various dishes with puy lentils.
100 gm of Puy lentils will lend you 60 gm of Carbohydrate, 31 gm of Fiber, 27 gm Protein, 122 gm Magnesium, 56 mg Calcium, and 479 mcg Folate.
Yellow Lentils
Yellow lentil is famous in the Indian subcontinent. It is a staple lentil used to prepare any pulses dish in Asian kitchens. They taste fabulous and can go well with anything. Take it with rice or flatbreads to complete your meal.
The best part of having yellow lentil is that it has a very high fiber content that is great for your guts. If you can cook them right, you will get a fantastic consistency, so you can eat them all alone, like a stew or soup. Yellow lentils have relatively low-calorie concentrations while high in fiber and protein.
A 198 gm of yellow lentil soup will provide you with 39 gm Carbohydrates, 16 gm Fiber, 18 gm Protein, 37% Folate, and 5% Vitamin C.
Green Lentils
Green lentils are unique in taste and character. You will not find it similar to any other lentil types we discussed. Green lentils have a distinctive peppery taste and feature a beautiful earthy flavor.
This one is great for those who like the natural taste. With 230 calories and 17.9 grams of protein per cup, green lentils are a fantastic addition to your diet. When cooking green lentils, you won’t be able to break them down completely.
Green lentils maintain a strong stuff physical character even after being boiled. Green lentils is pretty similar to brown lentils in terms of nutritional value. The taste is close but not exactly similar. You can always replace brown lentils with green lentils in any recipe. Green lentils cooked with vegetables taste fantastic.
100 gms of Green lentils have 20.13 gm Carbohydrates, 7.9 gm Fiber, 9.02 gm Protein, and other vital nutrients.
Red Lentils
Red lentils are extensive in Asian cooking and taste similar to yellow ones. They attain a mushy character when cooked well. You can simply have a bowl of boiled red lentils to power pack your day with a boost of protein. They are often suggested to patients with some injury because red lentils have incredible healing power.
They have a sweeter taste that is neither very strong nor pungent. Red lentils are not common in American cuisine. Red lentils have a low protein concentration per serving. This one can be good if you look for a lentil type suitable for uric acid patients.
It is delicious and quite energetic. You can try out various recipes with red lentils. You can quickly get red lentils at your local stores, and it’s cheap and easily accessible.
Red lentil is a rich source of protein and folate. A 190 gm of it can provide you 33 gm Carbohydrate, 7 gm Fiber, 12 gm Protein, and 15% of Folate.
Black Lentils
They are rigid in texture and smaller than the other lentil variants. Even after deep boiling, black lentils retain their shape, size, and color. They have natural, earthy solid flavors and aromas. They are rich in protein.
They don’t have a robust taste of their own. You can cook it as per choice, and the black lentils will taste outstanding. Black lentils have a high protein content. At the same time, they are low on calories and carbohydrates. They are a fantastic option if you try a weight loss or weight management plan. They also have high fiber content, so they benefit your gut.
A 42 gm cooked bowl of black lentils will consist of 21 gm Carbohydrates, 36 gm Fiber, 13 gm Protein, 20% Folate, and 3% Calcium.
Brown Lentils
If you have ever tasted the typical lentil soup, you would surely know about brown lentils. Brown lentils are the most used type of lentils. The best part about brown lentils is the mild flavor and subtle taste. They never predominate the overall taste of a dish. So, you can use them well, even in combination with other ingredients.
It is an excellent source of protein compared to any other plant-based source. You will get almost 18gm protein in one cup of cooked brown lentils. Apart from protein, it has a good concentration of fiber to keep you away from constipation. Also, the taste is incredible, so you can always experiment and create your recipes with brown lentils.
A 100 gm serving of brown lentil will lend 52 gms Carbohydrate, 11 gm Fiber, 25 gm Protein, 6% Vitamin C, 2% Calcium, and 79% Folate of Daily dietary requirement.
Summing Up
Almost every lentil type is a powerhouse of protein. However, there are mild variations in taste and nutritional content. You can accommodate lentils at any time in your daily diet and experience the incredible health benefits.
Also, if there is a lentil type or any other crucial detail that we’ve missed, do post in the comments and let us know.