Benefits of Lentils and Chickpeas

Lentils and garbanzo beans are put to the test.
Which legumes benefit from the highest levels of antioxidants? If you compared the total antioxidant content of ten different legumes, which do you think would come out on top? Pinto beans, lima beans, red kidney beans, black kidney beans—for which I think they just mean black beans—navy beans, small red beans, black-eyed peas, mung beans, lentils, versus chickpeas. Who can guess the winner and the loser?

I’ve since expanded my prebiotic mix to include hulled purple barley and rye berries. Together with oat groats and beluga lentils that forms the base for many sweet and savory dishes in the Greger household. Mmm, this video is making hungry.

More on luscious legumes in:

And what about the lectins? See:

Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

Captions for this video are available in several languages. To find yours, click on the settings wheel on the lower-right of the video and then "Subtitles/CC."
To view the subtitles in transcript format, click on the ellipsis button below the video, choose "Open transcript", and select the language you'd like to view them in.

Image credit: Pexels / Pixabay

[joenoffsinger]

I stumbled upon the fact of slow stomach emptying (4:12) when I chose beans (edamame) for breakfast. My hunger for lunch was later and afternoon snack was skipped. My lunch box came home with food still in it! Skip the expensive antioxidant supplements and eat WFPB and go (IMO) organic. Thank you for this video Dr Greger!

[nigel]

It's nice to have foods that are so cheap and commonplace, yet so effective.

[JeanieDee]

I guessed lentils! Do I win a prize? My weight in lentils ? I bloody love them. I have brown, black, red and green in my cupboard. They are my favorites.
I make a lentil, brown rice & kale stew that is the most satisfying batch cook meal in my rotation ❤️👍

[harry_bonkers]

i had black lentils literally 10 minutes before watching this video, and now i feel like flying around and saving the innocent

[elisenieuwe]

I really love chickpeas and lentils. I never ate them in the past, but since I found them I can't get enough. They are so satisfactory, it's insane.

[ChemaNation]

the greatest part about lentils being number one is that there's so much quicker to make

[alcyonae]

It’s two weeks I’ve been having homemade hummus for breakfast and lentils for lunch and I’ve been feeling amazing. Then this video popped out on my feed, so now I know why.

[ToxicSmiles]

And I just happen to eat those the most. My life is lentil veggie soup and chickpea everything.

[Kiyarose]

Thanks for those nuggets of valuable info, I’m glad you mentioned Chick Peas( Chana) as they are so delicious as well as v nutritious, and being 1 of the main ingredients in Humous, along with Sesame Seeds, Garlic, Lemon Juice etc, makes Humous VERY nutritious!. I’ve yet to come across any Vegan yters ( Doctors, health/fitness etc folk) who have mentioned Sprouting Legumes, Seeds etc. Humous for example can be made with Chickpeas AFTER they’ve been sprouted making them much more nutrient dense!. Sprouted Peas, Beans, Seeds & Wheatgrass, Alfalfa etc are like natural Multi Vit tablets, packed full of a variety of Nutrients! Why does no one mention them, or better still, list off their Vit content a bit like in above Vid!.

[spivtube]

Not just VERY informative, but also delivered so well, with humour and conciseness. Thank you very much for all your videos!!

[TP]

I love these videos of the health benefits of common foods. This was very common at the beginning of the channel. I love watch these.

[TheRoshan]

I'm Indian and eat lentils for dinner every day. Very happy to see that they are #1 xD

[reachtrita]

Ok, time to stock up on lentils! Thank you Dr Greger!

[djzyx]

Green lentils, kale, 2 chopped garlic, tablespoon olive oil, pinch of salt boil for 30. Blend once done with hand blender. Serve with half a lime or lemon with more olive oil ontop. Trust me you'll love it.

[VisitorEarth]

One my staple "meals" consists of a bowl of rice, a bowl of lentils and a dollup of freshly ground peanut butter OR an avocado. Yum!

[calvinburr]

I make a pot of mixed beans every week or so, so I have them available to eat every day. I use a mixture of pinto beans, red beans, and black beans for the bulk of the mixture, and then I add a smaller amount of soybeans, green and red lentils, adzuki beans, and sometimes mung beans to increase the variety of nutrients and other phyto-chemicals. In order to keep from getting bored with the same thing, I change which bean will dominate the pot and the spices used....and, I'll also change things by making a pot of just lentils some weeks that I can thin down into a soup or use in other recipes. And, of course, I'll occasionally make a batch of just chickpeas that I eat as is or add to salads or other recipes, that I use to make hummus, and I drain off and reserve the chickpea broth to make various types of quick and easy soups using a spoonful of miso in place of salt.

[arj-peace]

Wait...did anyone else hear him say he puts lentils in his oatmeal?

[tlc]

I learn so much from your videos!
👌👏👏👏

[narrowgate]

I've been eating a cup of chickpeas a day for 2 weeks now, game changer! My digestion is becoming regular for the first time in years & I just plain feel better! Looks like lentils will be next to incorporate in my diet👍

[supernova]

Our staple diet for the past 40 years, Chickpeas, lentils, Broad beans, fava beans . in this order with rice or oat bread and a ton of veg, Cale, cabbage, collard greens, courgette, aubergine, okra, spinach, peppers, onions, celery, leek, and other veg and herbs / spices. Fruits and nuts. unfortunately we also consumed a lot of meat until 3 years ago. but going on the right direction .