Cooked Lentil Nutrition Facts for Budget Meals

A bag of dried lentils can become several different meals, but the nutrition numbers only make sense when the measured food matches the database entry. This guide describes mature lentils that have been boiled without salt. The reference portion is one cooked cup weighing 198 grams. It does not describe a cup of dry lentils, a seasoned soup, or a complete lentil dinner. For that cooked portion, the USDA reference provides approximately 230 calories, 17.9 grams of protein, 39.8 grams of total carbohydrate, and 15.6 grams of dietary fiber. Fiber is already included within total carbohydrate; do not add those figures together. The protein and fiber make this a useful ingredient to consider when planning varied, economical meals, but the numbers do not establish a guaranteed effect on appetite or body weight. These values come from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, food 172421: “Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt.” The entry reports nutrients per 100 grams and gives 198 grams as its cup measure. Each displayed nutrient was multiplied by 1.98, then rounded for readability. This is a generic food reference rather than a laboratory test of the lentils in your kitchen. Variety, cooking time, and how much water remains can change the composition of a measured portion. For a more consistent comparison, weigh the lentils after cooking and before mixing them into a dish. A loose cup and a tightly packed cup may contain different amounts, while the stated gram weight gives you a clearer reference. If you eat half of the reference weight, use half of the unrounded nutrient values. If you measure the dry ingredient for a recipe, use a dry-lentil entry and account for the finished recipe separately instead of applying these cooked figures. The budget advantage depends on local prices and how much food you actually use. Compare the package price with its usable yield, and plan where the cooked lentils will go. They can be a base for soup, a filling for a wrap, or a component of a grain bowl. These are serving ideas, not calculated meals. Bread, grains, vegetables, oil, cheese, and sauces each contribute their own nutrients and would need to be included in a complete recipe calculation. Seasoning also changes what this card describes. Lentils simmered in salted broth or purchased in a prepared pouch should be checked against their own label or matching database entry. Do not assume their sodium matches plain lentils boiled without salt. Keeping a portion of a batch plain can make it easier to adapt the same ingredient to different meals without treating every variation as nutritionally identical. The practical takeaway is to match the food, preparation, and portion before comparing numbers. Use this cup as an educational reference, choose an amount that fits your meal, and count additions separately. Source: USDA FoodData Central, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/172421/nutrients.