What Is A Lentil

October 25, 2019

Lentils are the dried seeds of the lentil plant a legume. Lentils are legumescousins to beans chickpeas soybeans and peanuts.

Lentil Description Nutrition History Britannica

They also contain high levels of protein and fiber.

What is a lentil. The name lentil actually comes from the Latin word for lens which makes sense since the dried bean looks like a. The lentil scientific name Lens culinaris is a member of the legume plant family and considered an edible flattened pulse. Lentils grow on bushy annual plants that produce edible lens-shaped seeds within pods.

Botanists believe they originated in the Near East and were likely one of the first domesticated crops there. Lentil small annual legume of the pea family and its nutritious edible seed. They cook in about 20 to 30 minutes and hold their shape very well.

The seeds are commonly used in soups and stews and are available in a variety of colors. Lentils are edible seeds from the legume family. Growers first raised these beans in the Middle East in 8000 BC and theyve worked their way west since then.

What Are Puy Lentils. Lentils belong to the legume family. Different Types of Lentils Color size shape consistency and taste vary greatly from lentil to lentil variety.

While some use these terms interchangeably with French lentils Puy lentils or lentilles du Puy are a lentil variety from a specific area of France. Unlike beans which are also legumes lentils are never eaten fresh but always dried right after ripening. Theyre well known for their lens shape and sold with or without their outer husks intact.

Lentils are rich in protein and dietary fiber and are one of the most ancient cultivated foods. Common varieties are Spanish Brown German Brown or Indian Brown. Lentils are one of the worlds oldest health foods.

Is a lentil a bean. Lentils are legumes related to beans and peanuts and they look a lot like dried split peas in appearance although they are not as sweet. This is important given their nutritious nature.

Grown in volcanic soil the resulting Puy lentils have an even more peppery taste with a hint of earthy flavor. They can range in color from khaki-brown to dark black and generally have a mild earthy flavor. Lentils are technically a type of biconvex seed since they grow in pods.

Though theyre a common food staple in Asian and North. The lentil plant Lens Culinaris originates from Asia and North Africa and is one of our oldest sources of food. This is by far the most common variety of lentil and probably the one that you see at your local grocery store.

They resemble a tiny bean grow in pods and come in red brown black and green varieties. A cousin to the pea and a rich provider of protein and carbohydrates the lentil is also a good source of calcium phosphorus iron and B vitamins making it an important diet staple the world over. Lentils are a type of legume.

What Are Lentils Nutrition And Varieties Jessica Gavin