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lentil

  (lĕn'təl) pronunciation
n.
  1. A leguminous plant (Lens culinaris) native to southwest Asia, having flat pods containing lens-shaped, edible seeds.
  2. The round, flattened seed of this plant.

[Middle English, from Old French lentille, from Vulgar Latin *lentīcula, from Latin lenticula, diminutive of lēns, lent-, lentil.]


 
 

A semiviny annual legume with slender tufted and branched stems. The lentil plant (Lens esculenta) was one of the first plants brought under cultivation. The world's lentil production is centered in Asia, with nearly two-thirds of the production from India, Pakistan, Turkey, and Syria. Whitman and Spokane counties in Washington, and Latah, Benewah, and Nez Perce counties in Idaho grow about 95% of the lentils produced in the United States.

The seeds grow in short broad pods, each pod producing two or three thin lens-shaped seeds. Seed color varies from yellow to brown and may be mottled, although mottled seeds are not desirable for marketing.

Lentil seed is used primarily for soups but also in salads and casseroles. Lentils are more digestible than meat and are used as a meat substitute in many countries. See also Legume.


 

Legumes; dried seeds of many varieties of Lens esculenta, they may be green, yellow, or orange-red. When ground, they are frequently used to thicken soup. A 120-g portion is a rich source of copper and selenium; a good source of iron; a source of protein, vitamin B6, folate, and zinc; contains 0.6 g of fat, of which 20% is saturated; provides 4.8 g of dietary fibre; supplies 125 kcal (520 kJ).

 

A highly nutritious pulse, especially rich in carotene and some B vitamins. Lentils contain high amounts of phytates and lectins. Phytates can interfere with mineral absorption and lectins can be toxic. The phytate content is reduced by soaking in water and the lectin is broken down by boiling for 10 minutes.

 

Popular in parts of Europe and a staple throughout much of the Middle East and India, this tiny, lens-shaped pulse has long been used as a meat substitute. There are three main varieties of lentils. The French or European lentil, sold with the seed coat on, has a grayish-brown exterior and a creamy yellow interior. The reddish orange Egyptian or red lentil is smaller, rounder and sans seed coat. There's also a yellow lentil. None of these varieties are used fresh but are dried as soon as they're ripe. The regular brown lentils are commonly found in supermarkets whereas the red and yellow lentils, though available in some supermarkets, must usually be purchased in Middle Eastern or East Indian markets. Lentils should be stored airtight at room temperature and will keep up to a year. They can be used as a side dish (puréed, whole and combined with vegetables), in salads, soups and stews. One of the most notable showcases for the lentil is the spicy East Indian dal. Lentils have a fair amount of calcium and vitamins A and B, and are a good source of iron and phosphorus.

 

Small annual legume (Lens esculenta) and its lens-shaped, protein-rich, edible seed. One of the most ancient of cultivated foods, it is a good source of vitamin B, iron, and phosphorus. Of unknown origin, the lentil is widely cultivated throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa; though little grown in the Western Hemisphere, its inclusion in the U.S. diet is increasing. Growing 6 – 18 in. (15 – 45 cm) high, the plant has compound leaves and pale blue flowers. Animals are fed the stalks and leaves as fodder.

For more information on lentil, visit Britannica.com.

 
leguminous Old World annual plant (Lens culinaris) with whitish or pale blue flowers. Its pods contain two greenish-brown or dark-colored seeds, also called lentils, which when fully ripe are ground into meal or used in soups and stews. Probably indigenous to SW Asia, and known to have been used as early as the Bronze Age, the lentil was introduced to Greece and Egypt before biblical times and was one of the first food plants cultivated in Europe. Esau sold his heritage for a mess of lentils—although the name in the Scriptures may have been applied to several plants. Lentils are unusually high in protein content and are much used for food in Europe, especially by the poor, and increasingly in the United States. Many varieties are cultivated, for the seeds as well as for forage. Lentil seeds, from their shape, gave their name to the magnifying lens. The gulfweed (see seaweed) is sometimes called sea lentil. Lentils are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Leguminosae.


 
Nutritional Values: The Nutritional Value for: lentils, dry, cooked

Quantity Energy
(calories)
Carbohydrates
(grams)
Protein
(grams)
Cholesterol
(milligrams)
Weight
(grams)
Fat
(grams)
Saturated Fat
(grams)
1 cup 215 38 16 0 200 1 0.1
 
Wikipedia: lentil
Lentil
Lentils
Lentils
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Vicieae
Genus: Lens
Species: L. culinaris
Binomial name
Lens culinaris
Medikus

The lentil or masoor (Lens culinaris) is a brushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 15 inches tall and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each.

Background

The plant originated in the Near East, and has been part of the human diet since the aceramic Neolithic, being one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East. With 26% protein, lentil is the vegetable with the highest level of protein other than soybeans, and because of this it is a very important part of the diet in many parts of the world, and especially South Asia which has a large vegetarian population.

A variety of lentils exist with colors that range from yellow to red-orange to green, brown and black. The colors of the seeds when removed from the pods also vary, and there are large and small varieties. They are sold in many forms, with or without the pods, whole or split. The urad bean, a species of the genus Vigna, is also referred to as "black lentil".

Illustration of the lentil plant, 1885
Enlarge
Illustration of the lentil plant, 1885

Types of Lentils

  • White/Ivory.
  • Red Chief.
  • Petite Crimson/Red.
  • Petite Golden.
  • Brown/Spanish Pardina.
  • French Green/Puy.
  • Eston Green.
  • Green.
  • Black/Beluga.

Preparation

The seeds have a short cooking time (especially for small varieties with the husk removed, such as the common red lentil) and a distinctive earthy flavor. Lentils are used to prepare an inexpensive and nutritious soup all over Europe and North and South America, sometimes combined with some form of pork. They are frequently combined with rice, which has a similar cooking time. A lentil and rice dish is referred to in the Middle East as Mejadra. Rice and lentils are also cooked together in Khichdi, a popular Indian dish. Lentils are used throughout South Asia, the Mediterranean regions and the Middle East.

A large percentage of Indians are vegetarian and lentils have long been part of the indigenous diet as a common source of protein. Usually, lentils are boiled to a stew-like consistency with vegetables and then seasoned with a mixture of spices to make many side dishes such as sambar, rasam and dal, which are usually served over rice (and sometimes roti).

Production

Lentil output in 2005
Enlarge
Lentil output in 2005

Lentils are relatively tolerant to drought and are grown throughout the world. About half of the worldwide production of lentils is from India, most of which is consumed in the domestic market. Canada is the largest export producer of lentils in the world and Saskatchewan is the most important producing region in Canada. Eastern Washington, especially the Palouse Region, is the most important producing region in the United States. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that world production of lentils totalled 3.2 million metric tons (MT) in 2003. Canada produced 520,000 MT and, according to the market analysis company STAT Communications, will likely export 400,000 MT during the 2003-04 marketing year, which runs from August to July. The FAO estimates world trade in lentils totalled 1.2 million MT in 2002, with Canada exporting 382,000 MT during the calendar year.

Diseases

Trivia

The optical lens is so named after the lentil (Latin: lens), whose shape it resembles. The same applies also to Greek language, where the word φακός means lens and φακή means lentil. In Persian language, a lens is referred to as adasi where adas means lentil. In Hebrew, a lens is known as adasha (plural adashot) and adash (plural adashim) means lentil. In Turkish, mercek means lens and mercimek means lentil. In French the word lentille is used to mean either lens or lentil. In Serbian, word sočivo and in Croatian leća, means both lentil and lens.[citation needed]

Nutritional value

Lentils, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 350 kcal   1480 kJ
Carbohydrates     60 g
- Sugars  2 g
- Dietary fiber  31 g  
Fat 1 g
Protein 26 g
Thiamin (Vit. B1)  0.87 mg   67%
Iron  7.5 mg 60%
Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient database

Apart from a high level of proteins, lentils also contain dietary fiber, vitamin B1, and minerals. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% rather than 31%).[1] Health magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods. Lentils are often mixed with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein dish.

References

  • Alan Davidson, The Oxford Companion to Food. ISBN 0-19-211579-0
  1. ^ USDA nutrient database

External links

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Translations: Translations for: Lentil

Dansk (Danish)
n. - linse

Nederlands (Dutch)
linze

Français (French)
n. - (Bot, Culin) lentille

Deutsch (German)
n. - Linse

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) φακή

Italiano (Italian)
lenticchia

Português (Portuguese)
n. - lentilha (f)

Русский (Russian)
чечевица

Español (Spanish)
n. - lenteja

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - (bot.) lins

中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
小扁豆

中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 小扁豆

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 렌즈콩, 그 씨

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - レンズ豆, ヒラマメ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) العدس, , نبات العدس,‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮עדשה (קטנית)‬


 
 

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Sci-Tech Encyclopedia. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Food and Nutrition. A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2005 by A. E. Bender and D. A. Bender. All rights reserved.  Read more
Food and Fitness. Food and Fitness: A Dictionary of Diet and Exercise. Copyright © 1997, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Food Lover's Companion. Food Lover's Companion. Copyright © 2001 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/  Read more
Answers Corporation Nutritional Values. © 1999-2008 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lentil" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more

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