Red Lentils (Lens culinaris) – Cooked
Medicinal Profile of
Red Lentils (Lens culinaris) – Cooked
Cooked Red lentils are small, split legumes that cook quickly into a soft, nourishing dish. In terrain terms, they are best suited for states of depletion, dryness, and hypofunction, where steady plant-based protein and gentle fiber help restore strength. Their soft texture and easy digestibility make them less aggravating than other beans or legumes, and they are often used in soups, stews, or porridges for convalescence and long-term nourishment. However, in congestive or damp/boggy terrains, especially when digestion is weak and sluggish, overconsumption may aggravate heaviness or gas.
-
👉 Tastes describe the initial impression a food or herb leaves on the tongue, and they reveal its deeper actions in the body, shaping digestion, circulation, and tissue response.
Sweet – Builds and restores tissues with its nourishing and anabolic qualities.
Astringent – Firms and tones tissues, lightly drying excess moisture and dampness.
-
👉Qualities describe the felt nature of a substance or practice, and how it acts in the body beyond nutrients or chemistry.
Heavy – Provides substantial nourishment, but may weigh down sluggish digestion if overused.
Moistening – Offers hydration and lubrication when cooked into soups or stews.
Grounding – Brings stability and steady energy to depleted states.
Mildly Drying – The astringent quality can reduce excess dampness, though less than other legumes.
But the emphasis shifts depending on preparation:
With spices → stronger carminative / clearing effect.
With fats → stronger demulcent / nourishing effect.
With sour additives like lemon → more digestive stimulating and cholagogue-like action.
-
Nutritional Value (per 1 cup cooked, ~200g)
Macronutrients:
Protein – 18 g (rich in lysine, methionine-limited)
Carbohydrates – 40 g (mostly complex carbs + resistant starch)
Fiber – 15 g (soluble + insoluble)
Fat – 0.8 g (minimal)
Calories – ~230 kcal
Vitamins:
Folate – 90% DV (critical for red blood cell production and DNA synthesis)
Thiamin (B1) – 22% DV
Vitamin B6 – 18% DV
Niacin (B3) – 10% DV
Pantothenic Acid – 13% DV
Small amounts of Vitamin E & K
Minerals:
Iron – 37% DV
Magnesium – 18% DV
Phosphorus – 36% DV
Potassium – 21% DV
Zinc – 23% DV
Manganese – 49% DV
Copper – 25% DV
Calcium – 3% DV
Selenium – 10% DV
-
Plain (just water, no spice or fat): Heavy, grounding, mildly drying. Best for depletion and hypofunction, but may aggravate dampness or stagnation if digestion is weak.
With Warming Spices (cumin, ginger, turmeric, black pepper): Lighter, more stimulating, and digestively clearing. Helps reduce gas, bloating, and heaviness while mobilizing congestion.
With Cooling Herbs (cilantro, mint): Adds freshness and clearing, balancing the astringency and preventing excess drying.
With Salt: Moistening and mobilizing in small amounts, but in excess may contribute to fluid retention and congestive pressure.
With Fats (ghee, coconut oil, olive oil): Deeply nourishing and moistening, excellent for depletion and dryness, though potentially aggravating in damp/boggy terrains.
With Sour (lemon, tomato, vinegar): Stimulating and mobilizing, lightens the heavy quality of lentils, though may aggravate excitation or reflux-prone digestion if overused.
Indicated Patterns by Affinity
👉 Indicated patterns describe the functional state of the body and its organs and/or tissues, showing whether they are dry, atrophied, too damp (pressure), stagnant, lax, inflammed, sluggish, tense or underactive. The Primary Indicated Pattern is the main state where this remedy works best. Secondary Indicated Pattern(s) are the patterns that often develop over time when the primary state is left unaddressed. The primary pattern must be supported first, as this allows the secondary patterns to naturally ease or resolve.
👉Affinities are the organ systems and tissues where the remedy acts most strongly.
-
Hypofunction/Depletion (Primary Indicated Pattern) – Weak digestion that still requires nourishment.
Examples: fatigue after illness, loss of appetite, malnourishment.
How it helps: Provides easily digestible protein and fiber that gently sustain metabolism.
Dryness/Atrophy (Secondary Indicated Pattern) – Dry intestines or tissue depletion.
Examples: constipation from lack of bulk/moisture, tissue weakness.
How it helps: Soupy preparations hydrate tissues and restore moist resilience.
-
Atrophy/Depletion (Primary Indicated Pattern) – Wasting or lack of muscle nourishment.
Examples: post-illness weakness, vegetarian/vegan protein deficiencies.
How it helps: Protein and minerals support rebuilding of muscle and connective tissue.
-
Hyporesponsive Terrain (Primary Indicated Pattern) – Weak blood building or low iron states.
Examples: fatigue, anemia, pallor, post-menstrual depletion.
How it helps: Provides iron and folate to support hemoglobin and red blood cell production.
-
👉 Medicinal actions describe the specific ways a food influences organ systems and body functions.
Digestive System
Digestive Tonic – Strengthens metabolism gently with balanced protein and fiber, supporting weak digestion.
Demulcent (when cooked soft) – Provides soothing hydration to the digestive lining.
Carminative (when prepared with warming spices) – Relieves mild gas and bloating by reducing digestive tension.
Mild Laxative (in soups or porridges) – Adds bulk and moisture to stool, easing constipation from dryness.
Musculoskeletal System
Nourishing / Restorative – Provides protein and minerals that rebuild muscle and connective tissue.
Anabolic Support – Assists tissue repair after depletion, atrophy, or illness recovery.
Circulatory / Blood System
Hematonic (Blood Builder) – Supports red blood cell formation via iron, folate, and B vitamins.
Stabilizing (Blood Sugar) – Balances glucose by providing steady, complex carbohydrate release.
Antioxidant (Systemic) – Polyphenols and flavonoids help reduce oxidative stress in blood and vessels.
Immune System (Supportive)
Immune Supportive – Fiber promotes healthy gut flora, indirectly strengthening immune regulation.
Nervous System (Supportive)
Grounding / Calming – Steady nourishment supports mood stability and prevents erratic energy swings.
-
👉 Constituents are the natural compounds in a food that give rise to its actions in the body.
Proteins & Amino Acids:
Rich in lysine (complementary to grains)
Limited in methionine (balanced when paired with rice or wheat)
Carbohydrates:
Resistant starch (prebiotic, blood sugar stabilizing)
Soluble fiber (ferments into short-chain fatty acids, supports gut microbiota)
Polyphenols:
Tannins (astringent, antioxidant, mildly antimicrobial)
Flavonoids (catechins, procyanidins → antioxidant and anti-inflammatory)
Saponins:
Contribute to cholesterol-lowering effect and immune-modulation.
Phytic Acid (antinutrient, reduced by soaking/cooking):
Binds minerals but also has antioxidant properties.
-
2nd Degree – Steady nutritive and tonic food with clear systemic benefits but gentle in effect.
-
Generally safe as a food.
May aggravate gas, bloating, or damp/congestive digestion if overconsumed or undercooked.
Less indicated for those with strong damp/boggy terrain patterns.
-
Traditional / Cultural Sources
Ayurveda: Red lentils (Masoor dal) valued as light, easy-to-digest protein, recommended in convalescence and for balancing vata.
Middle Eastern / Mediterranean cuisines: Lentil soups and stews used as staple nourishing foods for centuries.
Modern Sources
Messina, M. (2014). “Insights on the health effects of legumes.” British Journal of Nutrition, 108(S1), S3–S10.
US Department of Agriculture (USDA), FoodData Central, 2024.
Kumar, S., et al. (2011). “Nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of lentils (Lens culinaris).” Journal of Food Science and Technology, 48(2), 200–202.
Roy, F., et al. (2010). “Lentils and other pulses: Nutritional, processing, and health benefits.” Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 158(1), 1–20.
Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal: New World Edition.
Pitchford, P. (2002). Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition.
