Yellow Lentils

Name: Yellow lentils (Lens culinaris) — lentils with yellow seed kernels, usually sold split and skinned, with a mild, sweet, nutty flavour. They are not the same as yellow split peas, which are larger, though they look alike.

Description

Lentils (Lens culinaris) are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, domesticated in the Near East some 9,000 to 13,000 years ago, and have been a staple pulse of the Mediterranean, Middle East and South Asia since. Canada is now the largest producer, followed by India.

Yellow lentils were bred as a variety of the common lentil, and are especially grown in Canada and used in India, the Middle East and Africa, in soups, stews, dals and purees. They are easier to digest and quicker to cook than most other lentils.

They are creamy when cooked, and have a delicate flavour, which makes them a good base for soups and for baby food. They can break down fully if cooked for long, or be left firmer with a shorter cook.

Main nutrition value

Yellow lentils are an excellent source of plant protein and fibre, and provide folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc, with little fat.

How best to be consumed

Yellow lentils cook quickly, with no soaking.

1. Rinse, and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes until soft.
2. Cook into soups, dals and stews, or puree for dips and baby food.
3. Season with turmeric, cumin, garlic and lemon.
4. Add to rice dishes, or make into fritters.
5. Store dried in a cool, dry place.

Overconsumption could cause…

Yellow lentils are healthy in food amounts when cooked.

1. Bloating and gas from the fermentable carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) in pulses, particularly if you are not used to eating them, so build up gradually and drink water.
2. Allergic reactions in a small number of people allergic to legumes, and cross-reaction between chickpeas, lentils and peanuts in some.
3. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since pulses contain moderate purines, although plant purines seem to carry less risk than those from meat.
4. Reduced absorption of iron, zinc and calcium from the phytates in dried pulses, which soaking and thorough cooking reduce.

GroupsLentilsLegume familyHigh fibreHigh proteinLow fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in ironRich in potassiumRich in zinc

Related foodsBrown LentilsFrench Green LentilsGreen LentilsPuy LentilsMoong DalMasoor Dal

Wikipedia — Lentil, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil