What is the history of legumes?

Answer 1

Legumes have been sustaining human life for over 10,000 years. All cultures use legumes in their traditional dishes. They are the only cultivated crop that improves the fertility of the soil in which they are grown, through the beneficial bacteria that live on their roots and by drawing nitrogen from the air into the soil.

Answer 2

Lentils originated in Central Asia or the Near East, and have been part of the human diet for up to 13,000 years. Along with wheat and barley, they are one of the first foods to have ever been cultivated. Lentils have long been eaten with barley and wheat, which originated in the same regions and spread together throughout Africa and Europe. Lentils are mentioned many times in the Old Testament. The first mention tells the story of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob in exchange for stewed lentils (a "mess of pottage"). They're also mentioned as a part of a bread that was made during the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people. In Jewish tradition, lentils are considered as food for mourners, because their round shape symbolizes the life cycle from birth to death. Lentils were a staple in the diet of ancient Iranians, who ate them daily in a stew poured over rice. In Shia Islam, lentils are believed to have been blessed by seventy prophets, including Jesus and Mohammed. Before the 1st century AD, lentils were introduced into India, a country whose traditional cuisine revolves around the lentil dish known as dal. Italians traditionally eat lentils on New Year's Eve to bring money in the next year, most likely because of their round coin-like shape. In many Catholic countries, lentils are a staple food during Lent.