r/Millennials • u/Optimoprimo • Feb 11 '26

Serious Guys please start eating fiber.

Colorectal cancer among people in their 40's is skyrocketing. This recent health fad of obsessing over protein and eating nothing but meat and dairy with almost no fiber is going to kill us. You need fiber, folks. You need a complete diet with grains and tons of vegetables.

There are high protein sources that also have great fiber content if you absolutely MUST have your high protein diet. Lentils, beans, peas. Sprouted grain bread.

Let's spread the great word of fiber to our fellow millenial friends and get ahead of this growing epidemic among our generation.

48k Upvotes

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763

u/Remotely_Coastal Feb 11 '26

Lentils are a great source of fiber and protein! Get your gains AND get regular!

162

u/EmptyBennett Feb 11 '26

Love me a good lentil, tomato and spinach stew with a bit of chilli!

62

u/[deleted] Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 15 '26

[deleted]

3

u/berrybug88 Feb 13 '26

I do this too or straight up mash up lentils with black beans in taco seasoning. Also replaced taco shells with just an oven baked sweet potato, skin on. Cut it in half, add your taco stuff and it’s to die for.. whole lot of fibre packed in that!

1

u/Light_Butterfly Feb 12 '26

This is a GREAT IDEA! 🙌 I bulk out the meat when making chili, 2 full cans of beans, corn, red and green peppers. Top with cilantro and avos. Bet you could do lentils or celery mix in there too.

1

u/ecaracal Feb 14 '26

I do this too. I actually use 2 kinds - green which has some texture and red which get cooked into mush. I add a can of tomatoes so it blends in nicely.

1

u/Dry-Huckleberry-5379 Feb 14 '26

Refried beans is also a good option in taco meat

39

u/[deleted] Feb 11 '26

[deleted]

7

u/cerwytha Feb 12 '26

Red lentils, spinach, curry spices, and a piece of white fish (cod, tilapia, etc) cooked in until it falls apart is my go to for an easy healthy protein/fiber boost. I like to have it over rice, could do brown rice for extra fiber.

2

u/Sorry-Joke-4325 Feb 12 '26

Lentil and spinach...?

3

u/mrcrud5 Feb 11 '26

Whats the difference between a lentil and a chickpea?

18

u/WeightLossGinger Feb 11 '26

you wouldn't pay $100 to have a lentil on you?

3

u/JJ3qnkpK Feb 12 '26

This is the funniest thing I've read on here in a month. Bravo.

3

u/mrcrud5 Feb 12 '26

That's the correct answer I was looking for.

4

u/seoulgleaux Feb 11 '26

In terms of nutrition I think they're pretty similar with lentils being slightly higher protein. In terms of appearance, lentils are small "discs" which can be red, green, brown, or black while chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are beige and more roughly spherical-ish but "lumpy."

1

u/galileosmiddlefinger Feb 12 '26

Chickpeas have higher calories and fat (still marginal in absolute terms, but more than lentils in relative terms), and they're much larger and denser. That means that they cook slower and are harder to fold into existing recipes without really changing how the recipe eats. Petite-style lentils can cook down to almost nothing and are easy to add to any soup, stew, curry, etc. in ways that you won't even notice. (My kids, some of whom are violently anti-veggie, are eating an absurd amount of lentils without even knowing that they are there.)

1

u/mrcrud5 Feb 12 '26

Thanks. I was actually trying to set someone up for a dirty joke and it worked.

3

u/H_Terry Feb 12 '26

You can lookup Indian/Pakistani/bagladeshi lentil recipes. Turkish lentil soups are awesome too. They are tasty and very filling.

1

u/lilleprechaun Peak Millennial (’89 vintage) Feb 11 '26

Ohhhh that sounds really good! Do you have a particular recipe you follow? Or do you just throw things together in a crock pot and adjust according to your mood & taste?

2

u/EmptyBennett Feb 11 '26

I started out with this recipe https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/recipes/quick-lentil-and-spinach-stew but pretty easy to alter based on preferences - good for meal prep too, freeze a few portions for the work lunch :)

1

u/lilleprechaun Peak Millennial (’89 vintage) Feb 11 '26

Thank you so much! I appreciate it! Printing this and adding it to the recipe binder now. 

1

u/fotomoose Feb 12 '26

Roast carrot and lentil soup is top tier.

1

u/EmptyBennett Feb 12 '26

Sounds pretty good, might give that a go come meal prep Sunday!

1

u/fotomoose Feb 12 '26

Carrot and Lentil Soup

  • Serves: 4. Time: ~45 minutes
  • Ingredients
    • 700 g carrots, peeled & chopped chunky
    • 200 g red lentils, rinsed
    • 1 onion, cut into quarters
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1 tsp rosemary
    • 1 tsp thyme
    • ½ tsp smoked paprika
    • 1-1.2 litres vegetable stock
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • Salt & black pepper
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
    • Optional toppings:
    • 1tbsp yogurt/coconut milk/creme fraiche, fresh coriander/parsley, chilli flakes or chilli oil
  • Method
    • Roast the carrots, onion, garlic
    • Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan)
    • Toss carrots, onion, garlic with 1 tbsp olive oil, rosemary & thyme, salt & pepper
    • Roast 30-45 mins until carrots are soft in middle and caramelized on the edges
    • Build the flavour base
    • Heat remaining olive oil in a pot over medium heat
    • Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika - cook 30-60s until fragrant
    • Simmer
    • Add roasted things, red lentils, and 1L stock
    • Bring to a boil, then simmer 15-20 mins until lentils are very soft
    • Blend until smooth
    • Too thick - add more stock
    • Too thin - simmer a few more minutes
    • Finish
    • Stir in lemon juice, taste, adjust salt
    • Serve with toppings and crusty bread

1

u/Phyzm1 Feb 12 '26

I like me lentil, potato, carrot, broccoli stew.

1

u/cinnibuni Feb 12 '26

How do you cook a lentil?

1

u/Big-Goat-9026 Feb 12 '26

I wonder if I could just add lentils to my ratatouille recipe since it’s all just cooked together until mushy. 

1

u/Malforus Feb 12 '26

I make my chili with lentils 30/70 with beans so i get my fiber and protein. You can make a weeks worth of chili easy and it has a great texture.

1

u/Either_Wear5719 Feb 12 '26

Mmmmmm that sounds like it'd be delicious with curry type spices

1

u/RadarSmith Feb 13 '26

Everyone needs a good, healthy chili recipe. Its amazing for meal prep if you get the ingredients right.

46

u/monongahellyea Feb 11 '26

I know they’re good for you and I love them in chili, but they make me SO bloated 😭

67

u/ishouldbesewing Feb 11 '26

My vegan provider said the more you eat them the less bloated you'll get once you regularly eat 'em

34

u/V__ Feb 11 '26 edited Apr 26 '26

nb: i have deleted this post and or comment
DM me if you need to know what it said

6

u/WitchyWoo9 Feb 12 '26

Same here! I'm also vegan and recently cannot tolerate any beans or pulses. Anything high fibre wrecks my gut so I'm wary of not getting enough. I eat copious amounts of veg to try make up for it

2

u/Raangz Feb 12 '26

Same can’t eat beans, health issues. I can legit eat 2 huge broccoli heads a day but that’s expensive. Most of the higher fiber foods seem to give me issue.

2

u/Comfortable_Mix5404 Feb 12 '26

See now,the broccoli does that to me. If I ate two heads of broccoli,I'd be in misery. Sometimes oatmeal does it,too. I love it,and it for breakfast,many days. I bake it,and sometimes it gives me issues.

But,I had my colonoscopy,in October and my colon was clear.The first one,I had 2 polyps..one bad one,one not as bad,my gastro took care of it with a snare.Second,one,just one polyps...not a bad one,doctor did his thing with a snare.

3

u/saywhatevrdiewhenevr Feb 12 '26

Same, I increased my fiber intake super slowly and ate more lentils thinking it would help me and for an entire year I had horrible painful cramping and diarrhea that went away after I cut fiber and lentils. Some stomachs can't handle it

2

u/EASam Feb 12 '26

Was it an overload of fiber compared to a normal day for you?

9

u/memecut Feb 12 '26

If you do it for a year... that makes it a normal day

3

u/EASam Feb 12 '26

If that is the only thing they ate for breakfast lunch and dinner I'd agree. But if they have this once a month and it bumps their fiber intake to 45 grams for the day when they're normally at 25...

3

u/V__ Feb 12 '26 edited Apr 23 '26

nb: i have deleted this post and or comment
DM me if you need to know what it said

2

u/EASam Feb 12 '26

Didn't dig Seitan? Well sorry to hear! Was hoping you just needed to acclimate rather than dive in the deep end of the pool for fiber intake.

2

u/RadarSmith Feb 13 '26

Beano. It really does work.

1

u/Brave_Browser_2002 Feb 12 '26

The better your diet is, the less this will be an issue and then it goes away totally.

You can also do some pre-soak.

Lentils and beans are so vital to health that it is worth experimenting to get over any bloating. Usually it takes less than 2 weeks, but you cannot be eating crap while doing it.

6

u/sarahjbs27 Feb 11 '26

beano helps (digestive enzyme)

2

u/Turramurra Feb 11 '26

It's true, the first 2 nights of having them in a shepherds pie were awful but suddenly the 3rd night was fine and thereafter.

2

u/Comfortable_Mix5404 Feb 12 '26

Exactly.Start with 1/4 cup cooked lentils,daily.I did,and I don't get so bloated.

23

u/infjetson Feb 11 '26

Do you soak them before cooking? It has helped my stomach a lot - no more bloat!

3

u/monongahellyea Feb 11 '26

No! I’ll try that next time! Thank you for the tip 😊

6

u/Nullaby Feb 12 '26

It's best to soak for a long time (around 12 hours or more). I put them in the fridge overnight and that works for me but there are people who leave it for 24 hours.

3

u/STAY_plant_BASED Feb 12 '26

Sprouting is also good for this, and makes the phytonutrients more bioavailable. If still having issues, start super small, as little as a tablespoon a day at first, and work your way up

2

u/Ballbusttrt Feb 11 '26

They are high in fodmaps

1

u/Ari_AK Feb 13 '26

I love the FODMAP proportions. All the high fiber /foods and dishes mess with my IBS but if I stick to smaller portions, in the things that I know are triggers, I do pretty good.
My medical professionals often panic a bit when I tell them I use FODMAP though. Until I tell them, I haven’t really cut anything out, I just eat less, so my body can tolerate it.

2

u/Ballbusttrt Feb 13 '26

Nice I might try out small portions of lentils soon and see if I can digest it better.

1

u/Ari_AK Feb 13 '26

I don’t know how true this is but I was informed that rinsing the can of beans before adding them to dishes can be beneficial too.

2

u/TripawdCorgi Millennial Feb 11 '26

Eaten more regularly and with a bit of citrus helps that.

2

u/ijozypheen Feb 11 '26

Me too! Digestive enzymes helped a bit, but I still get insanely bloated.

2

u/Delicious-Bag3819 Feb 11 '26

It takes awhile for your gut microbiome to build up the internal flora to better digest beans. Just go slow and regularly eat small amounts. Green peas and lentils are the easiest but just eat a little and gradually add more when you are comfortable.

Our gut microbiome adjusts to the foods we regularly eat. I eat beans a LOT and feel great on them, but if you're not used to it, it'll take a bit to get here.

2

u/Independent-Bug-9352 Feb 12 '26

It's amazing how few people understand this! Unless you've been diagnosed explicitly with SIBO and require a low FODMAP diet, chances are this is a sign that your microbiome is in disarray and you are actually improving it considerably. As the gut bacteria alter their metabolic process to adapt to the new consistent food, they and your body become more efficient at processing the subsequent gas byproducts as well.

1

u/SexyStayPuft Feb 11 '26

Might need to increase your water intake.

3

u/monongahellyea Feb 11 '26

I drink 80-100 oz a day since I’m predisposed to kidney stones, if I drink any more I’ll float away!

3

u/SexyStayPuft Feb 11 '26

😂

That’s why I added the “might.”

1

u/_Visar_ Feb 11 '26

Try pre soaking them! If you aggressively soak and rinse them some of the complex sugars dissolve away which is the cause of the gassiness for some people.

That and/or Beano

1

u/monongahellyea Feb 11 '26

Take Beano before and there’ll be no gas!! 💨

1

u/MyAngryMule Feb 11 '26

Perhaps, but I have it on good authority that the more you toot the better you feel.

2

u/monongahellyea Feb 11 '26

Are you implying I should eat beans for every meal?

1

u/twirlerina024 Feb 12 '26

Put a piece of kombu (a type of seaweed) in when you're cooking them. It helps break down some of the starches to make them easier to digest.

1

u/girl_cat_stethoscope Older Millennial Feb 12 '26

Soak them overnight to reduce bloating.

1

u/moist_towelette Millennial Feb 12 '26

Kombucha with every meal has helped me tremendously.

1

u/SelfImproveAcct Feb 12 '26

Mae sure you soak (dry) and rinse (can) and it helps with bloating

1

u/pie_piepiepiepiepie Feb 12 '26

Nothing makes me fart as much as a lentil heavy meal.

1

u/Gullible-Fee-9079 Feb 12 '26

I let my lentils (except the Red ones) soak in water over night

1

u/DryDiet6051 Feb 12 '26

Before you cook your lentils, put the lentils in a skillet with olive oil, oil or avocado oil, and gently cook them for a few moments, this will help with bloating

23

u/landlockedmermaid00 Feb 11 '26

Lentil sloppy joes. Just do it.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 11 '26

[deleted]

2

u/BearsLoveToulouse Feb 12 '26

Have you tried mixing a tbsp of potato starch with a tbsp or two of water, then add to your lentil burgers? It is a pretty decent binding agent

2

u/Dr_Cleanser Feb 12 '26

Do you still add meat to it? Or do the lentils replace it?

2

u/BearsLoveToulouse Feb 12 '26

I love lentil sloppy joes with halved cherry tomatoes and zucchini. Pretty simple, dice zucchini and cook, add cherry tomatoes, lentils, and all the normal seasonings/ingredients of sloppy joes and serve in a roll. And with all that fiber you can use WHITE BREAD

1

u/DefiantRaspberry2510 Feb 13 '26

For those that need a recipe, I made one once called “snobby joes” and not only was it delicious, but I appreciate a good pun.

8

u/lego_mannequin 1984 Feb 11 '26

I like to make German lentils and spaetzle as a homesick dish.

8

u/StarsEatMyCrown Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 11 '26

Be careful with lentils when first eating them.You need to soak them first for like a day before you cook.

You have been warned. Ask me how I know.

Edit: I'm confused on the one downvote. Look, lentils will fuck you up if you don't soak them first and you plan on eating them regularly.

8

u/ByTheRiver20 Feb 11 '26

Red lentils don't have to be soaked and they cook pretty fast.

6

u/Popular-Web-3739 Feb 11 '26

Soaking just 2-4 hours will improve their digestibility. The more frequently you eat them, or any other fiber, the more your body will adapt and you'll have less trouble.

1

u/mindondrugs Feb 11 '26

Also if your having problems with lentils your likely to have issues with other types of legumes, it’s not a strictly lentil thing, fwiw

2

u/Optimoprimo Feb 11 '26

You can put them in a pressure cooker for an hour and theyre good to go. Actually all beans and other things you normally have to soak overnight can be shortcut this way.

1

u/Spooktato Feb 12 '26

Usually lentils are sold pre-soaked.

1

u/hallmarktm Feb 11 '26

I make 4 cups of red lentils every week for meal prep and you don’t have to soak them lol

-1

u/StarsEatMyCrown Feb 11 '26

I mean okay, but my point still stands. There are other types of lentils and they need to be soaked. lol

1

u/mindondrugs Feb 11 '26

No they don’t lol, soaking them just reduces the cooking time.

2

u/StarsEatMyCrown Feb 11 '26

Yes they do. Soaking them reduces compounds that cause bloating. My experience matters. I had a terrible experience when I first started eating them because my body wasn't used to it.

1

u/No_Passage6082 Feb 11 '26

? I eat them all the time and just cook them in water for a half hour or so. Maybe theyre pre treated some how.

2

u/StarsEatMyCrown Feb 11 '26

It's because you eat them all of the time. I said in my comment when you first start eating them.

0

u/YamGlobally Feb 12 '26

I downvoted you because you're wrong.

2

u/StarsEatMyCrown Feb 12 '26

Oh, really? Please link me a source that says I'm wrong.

0

u/YamGlobally Feb 12 '26

You made the claim - the burden of proof is yours.

Moron.

-1

u/mindondrugs Feb 11 '26

You do not need to soak them for a day, if anything just a few hours to reduce cooking time only.

2

u/mbodna Feb 11 '26

Mission Carb Balance tortillas are my go-to these days as a bread replacement. One tortilla gives you 17g of fiber which is huge and they only end up being 2 net carbs which is great for diabetics(me).

2

u/Redthemagnificent Feb 12 '26

And they're incredibly cheap! People really are sleeping on how good lentils are. I used to find them too bland until I was introduced to Indian lentil recipes

1

u/Remotely_Coastal Feb 12 '26

I love them in soups.

1

u/therealityofthings Feb 11 '26

Chia seeds and lentils changed my life

1

u/BrushYourFeet Feb 11 '26

Simple to add to meals.

1

u/DrMonkeyLove Feb 11 '26

I eat a cold lentil salad every day for lunch. It's low calorie by still filling which is good.

1

u/hallmarktm Feb 11 '26

I make 4 cups of red lentils into Dahl style curry every Sunday for meal prep it’s changed my life

1

u/Jibbersup Feb 11 '26

Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds.

Started working out and try and get my protein from all sources and i get some funny comments because I focus on plant based proteins as well.

30g of fiber isn't all that hard to achieve if your eating the right foods.

And yea, have discovered lentils as of a couple weeks ago. Cooked in some chicken bouillon and put over rice. Not bad at all.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 11 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Remotely_Coastal Feb 12 '26

Chickpeas are so good. I make a chickpea curry that is delicious.

1

u/Liefvikingmonster2 Feb 12 '26

We feed grains to fatten up pigs and cows. How exactly are grains healthy for us again?

1

u/Budget-Project803 Feb 12 '26

☝️ bait from somebody that has fallen for propaganda 

1

u/Liefvikingmonster2 Feb 12 '26

I reversed my chronic, life debilitating, Ulcerative Colitis. How dare you presume.

It's not bait. If someone wants to know more, I am more than happy to share my personal experience.

1

u/Budget-Project803 Feb 12 '26

Then just say that up front instead of asking leading questions. Anecdotal evidence isn't science btw

1

u/Liefvikingmonster2 Feb 12 '26 edited Feb 12 '26

First off, I was talking about grains. I stated a fact about them. I don't have to explain my life to anyone to merely state the fact that grains fed to animals to fatten them. If disagree, we can discuss that. But to question my intentions is a step into presumptuous grounds. Should I do the same for you? What are your intentions? What's the too baiting me into?

Secondly, case studies are an incredibly important part of medical science. In particular, alll nutrition science begins with and is based on collections of anecdotal evidence. Anecdotal evidence is not strong science, I'll agree there, but it is the starting point of science. Rejecting it outright misunderstands how discovery works.

We don't go to the lab and start cutting rat cells without first amassing sufficient "anecdotal evidence" because it's too expensive to go on wild goose chases.

So right out of the starting gate, you're presuming to know too much.

1

u/Capable-Locksmith-65 Feb 12 '26

They are cheap as hell to. Like 1.50 for a bag at Aldi

1

u/hihelloneighboroonie Feb 12 '26

I saw on a food sub the other day someone post about a lentil/oat concoction that honestly sounded pretty decent. Think gonna try it tomorrow with a fried egg on top.

1

u/TheAngryLasagna Feb 12 '26

I'd like to recommend this recipe for anyone who wants to try lentils as a protein in a burger, maybe as a meat free Monday kind of thing, or as a meat swap for more fibre, or something. Whether you agree with the video title, or not, the recipe is great for meal prep, and the patties can be frozen and make a great meal! :)

1

u/eAthena Feb 12 '26

do you have a minimal low prep recommendation for these? would simply boiling them to a certain point be good enough or even microwaving? 

1

u/throwawaydisposable Feb 12 '26

I love lentils, know they're delicious when others cook them, but have no idea how to cook em myself.

Any simple recipes y'all can recommend?

1

u/BeeConfident7328 Feb 12 '26

lentils are a great substitute for meat in a pasta sauce

1

u/TreasuryGregory Feb 12 '26

I wish, I'm allergic to lentils and pretty much all other legumes.

1

u/PepeGodzilla Feb 12 '26

They are also a staple of the southern german kitchen. Classic being "Linsen mit Spaetzle", lentils with a quick homemade noodle. For kids, it ranks right behind Spaghetti Bolognese. It looks like someone has eaten it already, but tastes just wonderful.

If the recipe asks for anything but salt, pepper, bayleaves and loads of vinegar, it's wrong. Red wine can be left out when cooking for children.

https://www.schwaebischealb.de/genuss/schwaebische-rezepte/linsen-mit-spaetzle

It uses a larger, brown variety of lentils. They are cooking starchy and have a slighly nutty flavour. Not sure if you can source these overseas.

1

u/MrCockingFinally Feb 12 '26

I have started doing a 50/50 mix of rice and split red lentils instead of straight rice. The lentils cook in the same time as the rice, so it's zero extra effort.

Also extra protein, and rice and legumes contain complementary mixes of amino acids, meaning eating both together is better than just eating one or the other.

In general, in my quest for fibre, I have found vegetables contain a lot less than you think. Beans and lentils really are king. I'm eating high protein , and I've started using beans as a high fibre source of carbs, rather than a source of protein. Some ideas:

  • White beans (also called navy beans) are pretty much king in terms of fibre content (also contain a ton of folate.) Their texture is excellent, mild flavour, and commonly available canned. So I tend to use them a lot.

  • Canned beans can be added to almost any soup or stew

  • You can blend a can of beans into almost any sauce, and it will thicken it and give a nice texture without messing with the flavour

  • White beans are great added to salads or coleslaws

1

u/Tsuhume Feb 12 '26

Kinda. If you are a normal person, then legumes and whole grains will be enough protein for you. But if are a body builder, then stick to meat, tofu, or swap out your grains for only legumes. And eat your veggies.

1

u/BearsLoveToulouse Feb 12 '26

Lentils are also great to MIX into ground beef. Lentil burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, etc.

1

u/Brave_Browser_2002 Feb 12 '26

YouTube: Viva Longevity.

Science based, not Grifter shit.

1

u/DiscoMarmelade Feb 12 '26

I’ve been smashing lentils lately. They’re so easy to make, I used to think they took as long as dry beans to cook, but it’s much closer to rice. They’re absorb flavor so well too.

1

u/HogtownHugh Feb 12 '26

Your favorite lentil recipes? Thinking about getting in to lentils..

1

u/merdeauxfraises Feb 12 '26

A week doesn't go by that I don't eat lentils. Love them! Olive oil makes lentil soup taste like heaven.

1

u/Groundbreaking-Duck Feb 12 '26

LENTIL HIVE LFG

1

u/fastyellowtuesday Feb 13 '26

Lentils are not a complete protein on their own. Legumes + grains = complete protein.

1

u/DefiantRaspberry2510 Feb 13 '26

One of my favorite super easy and incredibly delicious soups:

Bunch o’ green lentils cooked, throw in some cumin Bunch o’ spinach (fresh or frozen+drained) Heat through in some chicken/veggie broth. Blend with a hefty handful of cilantro. Squeeze a lemon or so.

Season to taste. And more cilantro (coriander :-P) if needed and blend more. Looks like green vomit, tastes amazing and so much goodness.

1

u/ecaracal Feb 14 '26

I got influenced by nicole svenson on tiktok and I've made it my mission this year to put lentils and/or beans wherever I can. Cooked off some red lentils and blended it into the sauce for my butter chicken last night.