Lens culinaris – Lentils

A dietary staple in many countries, Lentils (Lens culinaris) are an annual cool-season legume crop. Nutritious, the production of Lentils spread from the Near East to the Mediterranean area, Europe, Asia, and finally, the Western Hemisphere. They grow well in limited rainfall areas of the world.

What are Lentils?

• Lentils belong to the plant family, Fabaceae, also known as the legume, pea, or bean family, which includes soybeans, chickpeas, peas, and peanuts.
• Among the earliest cultivated plants, Lentils have been discovered in archaeological sites dating back about 13,000 years in Greece.
• This legume is a semi-erect bushy plant with pinnate leaves and racemes of usually double, white to pale purple or dark purple, self-pollinating flowers. The blossoms fade within three days of opening, and seed pods develop 3 to 4 days later.
• The seed pods are flat, smooth, less than 1 inch long (2.5 cm), and contain 1 or 2 lens-shaped seeds, called pulses, with high nutritional value.
• Their seed coat ranges in color from clear to green, pale tan, brown, or black, and sometimes with purple or black speckles.
• Lentil plants can range in height from 12 in. (30 cm) to 30 in. (75 cm). Since they are annual plants, they complete their life cycle within one growing season.
• Lentils fix nitrogen and add nutrients that improve the soil, benefitting the plants that are growing beside them. They are great for heavy nitrogen users.
• Lentils are used worldwide for culinary purposes. They are a significant component of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, Ethiopian, and western Asian diets.

Health Benefits of Lentils

• While Lentils make a flavorful addition to various dishes, they also provide health benefits.
• They are an excellent source of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, folate, iron, and manganese.
• They have a low glycemic index and contain resistant starch that digests slowly. These can improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes.
• Lentils are a rich source of carbohydrates that take longer to digest than simple ones. People feel fuller for longer, which can help them maintain healthy weight levels.
• They are rich in protein and are considered a substantial meat substitute. These proteins benefit the immune system and help maintain healthy bones, hairs, organs, and muscles.
• Folate: one cup contains 90% of your daily needs. Folate helps lower the risk of birth defects and is also important for reducing depression.
• Fiber: one cup contains 64% of your daily needs. Fiber helps lower harmful cholesterol levels and improves your heart health. Fiber also helps regulate the digestive tract and keep your digestive system healthy.
• Manganese: one cup contains 43% of your daily needs. Manganese plays a role in kidney health, blood pressure, bone and muscle maintenance, and cardiovascular health.
• Potassium: one cup contains 21% of your daily needs. Potassium plays a role in maintaining normal blood sugar levels and helps protect against free-radical damage.
• Iron: one cup contains 37% of your daily needs. Iron can help prevent anemia.
• Nutrition Facts (per 100 grams): 116 calories, 20.2 grams carbs, 9.1 grams protein, 0.4 grams fat, 8.1 grams fiber.

Cooking with Lentils

• Lentils are easy to cook. Like beans and grains, lentils can be cooked in many ways.
• They have a mushy texture when cooked with a mild earthy, nutty, and peppery flavor.
• Lentils do not require soaking before consumption like other pulses (dry beans, whole peas and chickpeas).
• Dried Lentils should be rinsed and simmered for 15-20 minutes (5-7 minutes for split red lentils).
• Season with salt after cooking, or the lentils will become tough.
• Lentils can be baked, boiled, roasted, grilled, and fried.
• Split Lentils are excellent for use in curries and as a thickener in soups and purees. Whole lentils work better in salads or other applications where texture is desired.
• Thanks to their nutritional properties and texture, Lentils are a popular plant-based protein in areas where meat is scarce or vegetarianism is important.
• Cooked lentils can be frozen and used within three months or refrigerated for one week.

How to Grow Lentil Plants

• Lentil plants grow up to 12-30 in. tall (30-75 cm), depending on the variety and geographic location.
• They perform best in fertile, sandy, loam, acidic to neutral (pH ranging from 5.5 to 7.0), moist, well-drained soils in full sun (at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day).
• However, Lentils will grow in all soil types with good drainage. They tolerate moderate saline or alkaline soils.
• Lentils can endure drought conditions. However, a minimum of 10 inches (25 cm) of annual rainfall is necessary for Lentil production.
• Lentils are a cool season annual crop and grow best between 65-85°F (18-29°C).
• They are more tolerant of frost than other crops and can generally withstand frost and temperatures as low as 21°F (-6°C).
• Lentils are usually planted in the spring in cool climates and in the fall or winter in warm climates.
• Lentil seeds should be inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum bacteria if planted in fields where Lentils, vetch, or peas have not been recently grown to ensure the fixation of nitrogen.
• Sow seeds outdoors after the last spring frost date when the soil has warmed to at least 40°F (4°C).
• Sow seed 1-2 inches deep (2-5 cm) and 1 inch apart (2.5 cm) in rows 18-24 inches apart (45-60 cm).
• Lentils are leguminous and fix their own nitrogen with the aid of micro-organisms. They require high levels of phosphorus for optimum seed yields and nitrogen fixation.
• Phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be worked into the soil in the fall before spring planting. Alternatively, this could be done during spring field preparation to avoid direct contact with seedlings.
• Lentil is not very competitive with weeds, so weed control before planting and early in the growing season is critical.
• Rotate crops: Corn and small grains are good rotation crops in conjunction with Lentils. Rotate every three or four years.
• Avoid fava bean, field bean, field pea, canola, mustard, rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, sugar beet, and potato because they are susceptible to some of the same diseases.
• Lentils are susceptible to a few pests. Keep an eye out for aphids, thrips, seedcorn maggots, and wireworms.
• They are susceptible to diseases such as ascochyta blight, white mold, fusarium root rot, and Rhizoctonia root rot.

Harvesting and Storing

• Lentils take between 80-100 days to harvest after sowing.
• Lentil pods mature from the bottom up, with the lower pods maturing before the upper pods.
• To prevent seed shattering, the crop should be swathed when the lower pods mature (turning brown to yellow-brown).
• Lentil should be swathed when there is sufficient moisture to toughen the pods. This should not be done during hot, dry periods of the day.
• Lentils should have about 18 to 20% moisture at the time of harvest to prevent damage, then dried to 14 to 15% moisture for long-term storage.
• Shell your dried lentils and store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot for up to one year.