Lentil Soup with Turmeric and Lemon

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a good pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until softened.
2. Add the garlic, cumin and turmeric. Cook for one minute.
3. Add the lentils, stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
4. Cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils have broken down and the soup has thickened. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
5. Season well. Add the lemon juice off the heat and taste again. This step is what makes it taste finished rather than flat.
6. Serve with a spoon of yogurt and parsley.

Cool quickly, then keep in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to three months. It thickens as it stands, so loosen it with a splash of water and reheat until steaming hot. Make double.

The lemon at the end is not garnish. Lentils carry non-haem iron, which absorbs poorly on its own, and vitamin C from the lemon can increase that absorption several-fold. Adding it off the heat preserves it.

That matters particularly for women with heavy periods, where iron depletion is common and explains a great deal of fatigue attributed to hormones. Ferritin falls long before anaemia appears on a blood count.

Each serving delivers roughly 18g of protein and a substantial amount of fibre, which does two useful things: it slows the glucose response, and it binds oestrogen in the intestine so it leaves rather than being reabsorbed.

The turmeric is a smaller player, and honest framing matters here. Curcumin absorbs poorly on its own; black pepper and fat both improve it, which is why this recipe has both. The anti-inflammatory evidence is real but modest at culinary doses.

Finishing with Greek yogurt adds protein and live cultures, and turns a good soup into a complete meal.

More on the iron side: iron, heavy periods and fatigue.