Tasty and Savory Lentil Soup With Hearty Vegetables And a Squeeze of Lemon (Slow-Carb & Dairy-Free)

Whether you’re looking for a healthy meal or to warm up with a steaming bowl of soup, this hearty lentil soup recipe is for you!

This simple yet delicious lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients. 

The AntiCancer360 approach doesn’t rely on just one type of diet. We choose from one of five different anti-cancer diets depending on the case and situation. 

So our recipe today is ideal for those who are looking for a low-carb whole foods diet recipe and want to maximize its anticancer potential. 

There are a lot of health benefits in eating more slow-carbs such as beans, most vegetables, and even some whole grains. They are rich in fiber and take more time to digest, so they don’t lead to the same quick rise in blood sugar that refined carbs can cause [1].

Lentils are ideal for soup. They are very filling and produce a flavorful broth. 

Made with simple spices, fresh greens, tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon make this lentil soup simple and so good! 

This recipe will become one of your favorites and a dinner staple in your house. Everything is ready in one pot and you can make extra batches to freeze.This way you’ll always have something healthy and tasty to eat.

Here are some of the great cancer-fighting ingredients that you will find in this thick and hearty lentil soup: 

• Broccoli: According to the American Institute For Cancer Research, broccoli contains lots of compounds with cancer-fighting abilities. One of the top contenders is sulforaphane [2]. One test-tube study showed that sulforaphane reduced the size and number of breast cancer cells by up to 75% [3]. To get the most sulforaphane from your broccoli, you can steam it lightly (no more than 3-4 minutes) [4]. 

• Garlic: Allicin is a naturally occurring anticancer substance in garlic. Studies have shown that the consumption of garlic in the diet provides strong protection against cancer. Other studies have also revealed its remarkable ability in suppressing the proliferation of cultured cancer cells. To maximize allicin and its anticancer effect, crush the garlic and let it sit for 10 minutes before eating [5].

• Lentils: Rich source of bioactive and non-bioactive nutrients. Lentil seeds have a high polyphenolic content that can potentially prevent carcinogens through chemo-preventive activities, including the uptake of carcinogens, activation or formation, detoxification, binding to DNA, and fidelity of DNA repair. Other studies have identified that lectins, another special compound found in lentils also have anticancer properties, which have been observed in various in vitro, in vivo, and human studies. These lectins along with phenolic compounds in lentil seeds have been recognized as therapeutic agents. They can potentially bind to cancer cell membranes/receptors, causing cytotoxicity, apoptosis and autophagy thus inhibiting the growth of tumors [6].  

• Onions: Have a high cancer fighting potential when compared to other vegetables. This may be especially true with the chartreuse onion because of its high quercetin content. Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant that shows potential in blocking cancer metabolism pathways and for preventing the spread of various cancers [7],[8].

• Spinach: The natural substances found in spinach, can prevent macromolecular oxidative damage and modulate the expression and activity of genes involved in metabolism, proliferation, inflammation, and antioxidant defense. By inducing the secretion of satiety hormones it can also help individuals to not overeat. All these biological activities contribute to the anti-cancer, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic properties of spinach [9].

• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are packed with nutrients and other compounds well studied for their role in cancer protection. A phytonutrient in tomatoes called lycopene, the compound that gives tomatoes their distinctive red color may help prevent prostate, lung, and stomach cancers [10]. Studies have demonstrated the lycopene’s ability to inhibit oxidative damage to DNA and suppress cell growth by downregulating redox-sensitive signaling pathways, including MAPK and NF-κB pathways in human prostate cancer, breast cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines [11].

This lentil soup is everything you are hoping for in a heartwarming soup. It is a perfect weekday lunch or dinner that the whole family is going to love. 

If you can get all the ingredients in their organic form, that would be ideal. But, if not… You should get ingredients like spinach, broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes in organic form since it’s known to be especially high in toxins if bought in the conventional form [12].

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