Lentils and their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects
What it found
Lentils contain compounds that in lab and animal studies reduce inflammation and fight microbes, and eating them is linked to better blood sugar and heart health in people.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood sugar and diabetes
In people with diabetes, eating 50 gm of cooked lentils regularly significantly reduced fasting blood sugar and glycemic load. Lentils have a low glycemic index and slow sugar release.
Animal and lab studies
Anti-inflammatory effects
In lab tests, lentil hulls strongly blocked two enzymes that cause inflammation, COX and 15-LOX. In mice, lentil pretreatment reduced immune cell infiltration and proinflammatory cytokines.
Antioxidant activity
Lentil hulls showed the strongest antioxidant properties in lab tests, and lentil flour in bread raised antioxidant measures in aged mice. The antioxidant activity was linked to phenolic content.
Antimicrobial and antiviral
A defensin from lentil seeds was about 50% effective against a fungus in lab tests. Lentil lectins blocked several bacteria and showed antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in lab studies.
Studies in people and animals
Heart and gut health
Studies link lentil consumption to lower risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Lentils provide prebiotic carbohydrates that support a healthy gut ecosystem.
Other findings
Nutrient content
About 100 gm of lentil seeds contain around 25 gm of protein. Lentils are rich in folate, iron, selenium, and zinc, but plant iron is not as readily absorbed as animal iron.
What the authors conclude
“The nutritional values of lentils are undisputable, and encourage adequate consumption of lentils, as a healthy eating pattern would be necessary for optimal nutrient intake to sustain and promote good health.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that choosing healthy food with known immune-boosting effects, such as lentils, can reduce the intensity of disease severity.
- They encourage adequate consumption of lentils as part of a healthy eating pattern for optimal nutrient intake.
- They note that the direct correlation between legume consumption and COVID-19 prevalence requires comprehensive epidemiological and clinical studies.
How it was done
The authors wanted to describe how lentils can positively affect health by reducing inflammation, providing antioxidants, and displaying antimicrobial properties, especially as a low-cost nutritious food in low and middle-income countries.
They reviewed studies on lentils, including lab tests on lentil extracts, animal experiments in mice, and some human studies on diabetes and heart health.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the findings come from lab tests and animal studies, so they cannot show what happens in people.
- The human studies are mostly observational, so they can show links but not cause and effect.
- There are no specific studies on the effects of lentils on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy or vaccine-associated adverse events.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: M. S. Razzaque reports a relationship with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine that includes: employment. Editor, Current Research in Physiology.
- Authors work at
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, USA; University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), USA
The paper
- Title
- Health-promoting benefits of lentils: Anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Alexander R, Khaja A, Debiec N, Fazioli A, Torrance M, Razzaque MS (2024). Health-promoting benefits of lentils: Anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects. Current research in physiology. doi:10.1016/j.crphys.2024.100124Free full textPubMed 38501131DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error