If you have or are at risk for diabetes or have trouble keeping your blood sugar levels steady, you will need to experiment with your diet to see what you can eat and how much. The goal is to find foods that are digested more slowly so that blood glucose levels do not spike and then drop. While lentils can fit into that plan, everyone responds to food differently and you may still need to control your intake.
Blood Sugar
After you eat, your body breaks down the food into blood sugar or blood glucose to be used right away for energy or stored for use later on. When it comes to diet, many factors play a role in how food affects your levels. The type of food you eat, how much you eat, the combination of foods you eat and when you eat all must come into consideration.
In general, carbohydrates, especially those in the form of simple sugars, tend to raise blood sugar levels the most, says the University of Illinois. To keep your blood sugar levels under control, you may need to limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat at each meal or snack, and if consuming lentils, you need to read the nutrition label to determine how many grams of carbohydrates are in a serving size.
Lentils and Blood Sugar
Lentils are considered a starchy vegetable and because they are rich in nutrients and fiber they are part of a healthy diet. However, starchy vegetables can influence blood glucose levels as just ½ cup or 1 oz. contains 15 g of carbohydrate, notes the American Diabetes Association. Since a general goal is to consume about 45 g of carbs at each meal, you will need to be careful with your serving size, especially if you are eating other carbohydrates along with the lentils. To help control portion sizes, about ¼ of your plate should come from starchy foods, and a serving is about the depth of a deck of cards.
Lentils and Fiber
Even though lentils are a starchy vegetable and do contain various types of carbohydrates, they can help you control your blood sugar levels because they are also high in fiber. Although fiber is a type of carbohydrate, it is not broken down by the body so it does not contribute calories to your diet and it does not alter your blood sugar levels, reports the Joslin Diabetes Center. The other carbohydrates found in lentils can raise your blood sugar levels, so you do need to control your intake.
A general goal is to get 20 to 35 g of fiber each day, and getting 50 g of fiber a day may help those with diabetes control their blood glucose levels better. Lentils can provide you with 5 to 7 g per serving, so they are considered a high-fiber food.
Testing
Part of controlling blood sugar levels also involves maintaining a healthy weight, and including lentils in your diet can help. Fiber makes you feel full, which can curb cravings and overeating. In addition, lentils are low in fat and calories.
Including lentils in your diet is easy, as you can boil them in water for 15 to 30 minutes until tender and then mix them with seasonings to be served with vegetables, suggests the American Dietetic Association. Lentils can also be added to soups, stews and salads. However, since each person responds to food differently, the best bet is to test your blood sugar levels after consuming lentils to see how your body responds and to determine how much you can eat each day.
