Spiced Carrot & Lentil Soup to Boost Hair Health

As part of our Iron-rich foods recipe series, we bring you spiced carrot and lentil soup to help boost your hair health.

Winter is here and nothing screams comfort food more than hearty, delicious, and healthy soups.

While the colder weather may do a number on your Vitamin D levels, you can help maintain healthy iron levels by eating our carrot and lentil soup.

Hair Growth Food Feature: Spiced Carrot & Lentil Soup

This soup is tasty, packed with nutrients, and freezable.

This means that you can make it in large batches and freeze it for those days when you are on the go or when you don’t want to cook, but rather Netflix and chill.

We discuss the following handy insights:-

*Pssst, for a comprehensive list of foods that promote healthy hair, read our Ultimate Guide: 17 Super Foods to Combat Hair Loss.

1. Nutritional Value of Lentils 

Lentils have the following nutritional goodness:

🌺 Iron and Folate for haemoglobin production;
🌺 Manganese for maintaining blood sugar;
🌺 Vitamin B6 for brain health and improving mood;
🌺 Potassium for heart health; and
🌺 Fibre for gut health.

These are just a few of the few benefits of lentils and they are also a great source of protein, with minimal fat and calories (compared to other protein sources).

Now that we appreciate the super food that is lentils, we can dive into the benefits of its accompaniment, carrots.

2. Nutritional value of Carrots

Carrots are a good accompaniment when making lentil soup for the following reasons:-

🌺 Vitamin C for immune support;
🌺 Biotin to keep skin, hair and nervous system healthy;
🌺 Vitamin K for blood coagulation and to promote bone health;
🌺 Potassium for blood pressure control; and
🌺 Fibre for gut health.

There is no denying that carrots are a superfood and can also be consumed as a healthy snack or in a salad.

On the whole, pairing lentils and carrots is a good idea to get the most kick for your health and hair needs.

Want to try out some of our other pairings. Have a mouthful of our Carrot & Beetroot Salad, Spinach & Apple Salad and our Spinach & Steak Salad. 

3. Spiced Carrot & Lentil Soup Recipe to Boost Hair Health

Ingredients

• X2 tablespoon of cumin seeds
• Carrots (washed and coarsely grated)
• Split red lentils
• Cube of vegetable stock
• Chilli flakes (optional, if you prefer the non-spicy version)
• Plain Yoghurt

Method

1. Heat a large saucepan and dry fry cumin seeds and chilli flakes. Fry them for 1 min to release their flavour and aroma.
2. Scoop out half the contents of spices and set aside.
3. Add olive oil to the pan before adding the grated carrots and split lentils and fry for at least 3 minutes before adding the vegetable stock.
4. Bring it to a boil, and then let it simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and soften. Then set aside.
5. Then pour the soup into a blender and then blend it until you get a smooth, creamy consistency.
6. Pour the contents back into the pot and add a dollop of yoghurt and the remaining spices.
7. You can then season to taste.

Bon Apetit! You can eat this soup with garlic, naan or plain bread.

NaHaZo Tip: You can also eat the soup whole/chunky, without having to put it in the blender. (Skip step 5).

4. Conclusion

Ultimately, hair growth is influenced by good hair practices, as well as what you consume. And as women of afro-descent are predisposed to being anaemic, having a consistent diet rich in Iron is a necessity.

Not only for your hair, but also for your overall health.

But coming up with Iron rich recipes does not need to be a hustle. Simply bookmark our iron-rich food recipes and return for tasty, healthy and hair boosting recipes.

Have you tried this soup? Any handy tips to season it for a different taste? Share your cooking tips in the comments below.  

Until the next time, eat healthy and happy naturaling!