Lentils

Lentils are a great vegetarian protein source that can be used in soups and stews. Lentils are one of the legumes with the highest iron content. Iron is a trace mineral required by your body for the production of hemoglobin, a blood protein that transports oxygen.

Including lentils in meals to increase iron intake may be especially beneficial for vegans and vegetarians, who may be more prone to iron deficiency anemia. Lentils, like chickpeas, can help lower blood sugar levels. In one research involving 48 healthy people, replacing half of the carbs in a meal with carbs from cooked lentils resulted in substantial reductions in post-meal blood sugars as compared to eating rice or potatoes alone. Another research of over 3,000 people discovered that those who ate the most lentils and other legumes had the lowest diabetes rates.