According to nutritionists, a number of products – and there are, in fact, a lot of them – due to the nutrients they contain, can have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels in the body. Namely, to normalize “good cholesterol” (high-density lipoprotein) and reduce the amount of “bad cholesterol” (low-density lipoprotein). Normalization of cholesterol levels is the prevention of many diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Nutritionist Lauren Manaker told EatThisNotThat that one of the foods against “bad cholesterol” is lentils, and lentil soup is “the best soup for cholesterol.” Indeed, legumes have a low glycemic index, that is, they are slowly digested, contain a lot of fiber, their vegetable protein replaces animal protein quite well. And lentil soup, even lean, turns out to be a complete nutritious dish, very beneficial for the health of the heart and blood vessels, as well as the body as a whole.
However, according to the expert, there are three important rules to follow when making lentil soup. First, canned ingredients should be avoided. So, legumes can often be found in the store, packaged in cans. Such a product is often presented as “in its own juice”, but in fact, many manufacturers add preservatives, sugar and other ingredients to the sauce, the use of which is best avoided.
The second rule – if you want to “enhance” lentil soup with meat, you should choose low-fat varieties and definitely refuse processed meat, for example, sausages. Almost all nutritionists talk about the dangers of sausages. As for meat, lentils themselves are rich in protein, which is why it is considered useful for high cholesterol – it helps to replace animal protein from meat, which also brings “bad cholesterol” to the body.
The third rule is to add more other vegetables to the soup, such as carrots and cabbage. This will saturate the dish with additional nutrients, the nutritionist concludes.
See also: “Three dangers of dehydrated fruits named”