For Better Blood Sugar, Love Your Lentils

For Better Blood Sugar, Love Your Lentils (1:10)

Lentils are a delicious addition to any meal, but their hidden talents are not very well known. In this video, Sharecare's chief doctor, Darria Long-Gillespie, M.D. describes how lentils keep everything from blood sugar to digestion under control.

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Hi, I'm Dr. Darria Long Gillespie here with the tasty way to manage your blood sugar. Load up on lentils, these little legumes are chock full of soluble fiber, and that's one of nature's niftiest gifts for keeping your blood sugar in check. Lentils and other foods high in soluble fiber have a low glycemic load.

That fiber helps slow down digestion which triggers a slow steady release of sugar and insulin into your bloodstream, and that's way better for your body than the sun spikes you get from eating quickly digestive low fiber foods like white pasta, white bread, and sugary cookies. Benefits of lentils don't stop with your blood sugar.

The fiber that helps keep your blood sugar steady also helps lower your cholesterol. And for women, eating lentils and other legumes at least twice a week is linked to a 24% lower risk of breast cancer, that makes the lentil one powerful little bean. I'm Dr. Darria, for more ways to nourish your good health, check out all our Smart tips.