Dried green lentils are similar to brown lentils but with a slightly more robust, peppery flavour and firmer texture that holds up well in salads and side dishes. They provide excellent plant protein, fibre, folate, manganese, and iron, with no soaking required. They are among the most economical protein sources available.
Rinse and simmer in 2.5 parts water for 20-30 minutes; check frequently as green lentils can go from firm to mushy quickly. Salt after cooking to keep the skins intact.
Where Green Lentils (Dry) Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Glycemic Index & Load
Low GI food — causes a slow, steady rise in blood sugar. Ideal for sustained energy, blood glucose control, and reducing insulin demand.
Glycemic Load (GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100) accounts for portion size. A low GL means this food has minimal real-world blood sugar impact.
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 940 mg | 47% | |
| Phosphorus | 350 mg | 50% | |
| Magnesium | 110 mg | 29% | |
| Folate | 110 µg | 55% | |
| Selenium | 105 µg | 191% | |
| Choline | 96.0 mg | — | |
| Chloride | 87.0 mg | 11% | |
| Calcium | 71.0 mg | 9% | |
| Iron | 11.1 mg | 79% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 5.50 mg | 34% | |
| Zinc | 3.90 mg | 39% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.20 mg | 14% | |
| Manganese | 1.40 mg | 70% | |
| Copper | 1.02 mg | 102% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.930 mg | 66% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.410 mg | 37% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.270 mg | 19% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) | 0.800 g | — | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.300 g | — | |
| Sucrose | 1.10 g | — | |
| Fructose | 0.100 g | — | |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 0.000 g | — | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Glutamic acid | 4.37 g | — | |
| Aspartic acid | 2.67 g | — | |
| Leucine | 1.96 g | — | |
| Arginine | 1.82 g | — | |
| Lysine | 1.77 g | — | |
| Valine | 1.36 g | — | |
| Phenylalanine | 1.26 g | — | |
| Serine | 1.09 g | — | |
| Proline | 1.09 g | — | |
| Isoleucine | 1.09 g | — | |
| Alanine | 1.02 g | — | |
| Threonine | 0.948 g | — | |
| Tyrosine | 0.851 g | — | |
| Glycine | 0.851 g | — | |
| Histidine | 0.632 g | — | |
| Methionine | 0.389 g | — | |
| Cysteine | 0.365 g | — | |
| Tryptophan | 0.316 g | — | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →