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Lentils are tiny beans belonging to the legume family. They come in black, green, red, white, yellow, and brown shades, and are available throughout the year. You may store them fresh in airtight containers for up to 2 years!

The Health Benefits of including Lentils in Your Diet

Lentils are a plentiful source of fiber, folic acid, and potassium. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends including foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, such as lentils into our diets. They aid in bringing down blood pressure and add essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to the diet. Cooking a combination of lentils makes your meal mighty nutritious.

They provide protein which makes them an excellent replacement for meat in the meals. Replacing meats with lentils reduces LDL cholesterol levels by increasing fiber intake and thus, reduces risk of heart disease (American Heart Association). It might slow the progression of the disease in high-risk individuals.

Lentils have selenium which may help reduce rates of colorectal, prostate, lung, bladder, skin, esophageal, and gastric cancers. They also aid in weight loss by functioning as a “bulking agent” in the digestive system because of high fiber.

To take advantage of this nutrient-rich food, it is crucial to cook it in a way that preserves nutrients. Cooking these in conventional pressure cookers may take away most of their nutritional value. Such pressure cookers are made from metals or ceramics that cook with harsh near infrared heat that destroys nutrients. Besides, there is also risk of leaching toxins because these are reactive materials.

What is a healthier alternative? Keep reading to find out.

The Best Pressure Cooker to Cook Lentils

The healthiest way to cook lentils is pressure cooking them in MEC pots. Miriams Earthen Cookware (MEC) is a pioneering US-based cookware brand known for making the healthiest cooking pots. They make pots and pans from lab tested primary clay sourced from secluded non-industrialized and unfarmed lands in the US. They handmake pots without using additives, chemicals or glazes which makes them naturally inert, just like their raw material.

MEC pots cook with gentle far infrared heat that penetrates deep into each lentil and cooks it from inside out. Your lentils cook evenly and thoroughly at low heat in about the same time or less as in conventional cookware. This unique heat keeps even the most delicate nutrients intact which makes your lentils extra flavorful and fulfilling.

Keep reading to learn how MEC makes cooking lentils straightforward and easy.

How to cook lentils in MEC

Most lentils do not require pre-soaking when cooking in MEC. Wash the lentils thoroughly in 1-2 changes of water. Add washed lentils and water to the pot in the ratio of 1:2. Start cooking on medium-low until the water starts boiling. You can now bring the heat even lower and let cook until they are fully done.

You may combine different varieties of lentils and rice if they have the same cooking time.

Here are 3 great recipes from MEC’s kitchen to try in your MEC pot:

• Light and Easy Lentil – Mixed Grains Pilaf
• Lentil & Beans Soup w/ healthy vegetables and an assortment of spices (AKA Sambar)
• Rice with lentils, vegetables and spices (AKA Khichari in some parts of the world) – A quick & easy one pot wholesome meal

Interested in trying these and many more lentil recipes in MEC’s pure clay pressure cooker? Head over to our online store and order a pot today!