The Study
Effect of Processing on Postprandial Glycemic Response and Consumer Acceptability of Lentil-Containing Food Items
This study tested what happens to blood sugar right after people eat different kinds of lentil meals — like soup or meatloaf — and compared them to potato meals. It found that lentil meals made people's blood sugar rise less, but only for that one meal. It doesn't prove eating lentils every day will keep you healthy long-term.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Lentils can help keep your blood sugar steady after eating — but how you cook them matters a lot.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 557 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — swapping potatoes for boiled lentils in meals can cut blood sugar spikes by nearly half, and the food still tastes good enough for everyday eating.
- 2Boiled lentils lowered blood sugar by 40% compared to potatoes (73%).
- 3Spray-dried lentil flour spiked blood sugar like white bread (GI 66).
- 4Freezing lentils didn't change their benefit.
- 5People liked lentil chicken and soup almost as much as regular meals.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Foods
Year
2018
Authors
D. Ramdath, T. Wolever, Y. Siow, D. Ryland, A. Hawke, Carla G. Taylor, P. Zahradka, M. Aliani
Related Content
Claims (6)
Refined sugars cause a 2 to 2.5 times higher insulin release after eating compared to minimally processed carbohydrates.
Frozen boiled lentil puree produces the same blood sugar response after eating as freshly made boiled lentil puree.
Meals made with lentils as a side dish cause a lower rise in blood sugar than lentil meatloaf or vegetarian meatloaf, and this difference is due to the other ingredients in the dish.
When healthy adults eat boiled or pureed green lentils instead of potato-based meals, their blood glucose levels after eating are lower, averaging 40% compared to 73% with potatoes.
Spray-dried lentil flour raises blood sugar levels more after eating than boiled or roasted lentils, with a glycemic index of 66 versus 25 for boiled lentils, showing that industrial drying reduces the blood sugar-lowering effect of lentils.
Lentil-based meals such as apricot chicken, chicken pot pie, and lemony parsley soup are rated by consumers as moderately to highly acceptable, with taste ratings between 'like slightly' and 'like moderately', and they do not worsen blood sugar control.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.