Friends of Your Taste Buds – Lentils
Friends of Your Taste Buds – Lentils
By: Mwangi Wamaina
Salutations again, friends. We now progress on our trip to our fifth destination-the land of Canada. The rays of the sun strike Mount Caubvik, Mount Tetragona, Ishpatina Ridge, the Cypress Hills and other heights of the land. Amongst the clouds roam the grand gyrfalcon, the observant ovenbird, and the ferocious ferruginous hawk. Enduring roots nourish and supply built basswood as well as the hulking horse chestnut, regal redbud and supreme saskatoon. In its vast territory, we find the brawny beaver, the hungry haddock, the menacing massasauga and the peaceful pronghorn. Amongst this teeming wildlife, Canada serves as the global main producer of an important food for humanity-lentils.
In 2023, the top producing states of lentils were Montana, North Dakota, Washington, and Idaho. Montana produced about 4.1 million pounds. In the U.S., about 0.93 million acres of lentils were harvested last year, and at least 1.1 million acres of lentils have been planted this year. There are several types of lentils, such as brown, green, red, black and Le Puy green lentils. Historically, lentils have been used as currency, tomb offerings and as food by a variety of cultures. They have been used as medicine in the past to treat diarrhea, vomiting, bleeding from hemorrhoids, blisters, snake bites, ulcers, abscesses, etc. (Disclaimer: To be clear, this article is not saying that lentils cure or don’t cure these conditions, this is simply stating what they have been used for in the past.)
Lentils provide nutrients such as vitamin B1, B6, folate, copper, iron, soluble and insoluble fiber, protein, the amino acid lysine, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese. Fiber helps with various tasks in the body. One of those is attracting water to stool as it is being formed, which makes it easier to pass. Another is helping to prevent glucose levels from being too high. Glucose is a carbohydrate that comes from food that is used by cells in the body to make energy. Glucose travels through the bloodstream before it enters cells. In order for glucose to enter cells, insulin transporters allow glucose into the cells (like a gate). Glucose is used in the body to make a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is used to provide energy for the cell. (Glucose is sort of like fuel, and ATP is like a fire). If insulin does not do its job, too much glucose can accumulate in the blood. That excess glucose can go to the kidneys and block blood vessels, making it harder for the kidneys to filter waste and also causing some protein to leak. It can also cause blood vessels that supply the heart and legs to become blocked, making walking harder. Furthermore, too much glucose can cause damage to the eyes, thus potentially causing blindness. It can go to the nerves in the feet and make it harder for the nerves to work; thus, if a person steps on an object and injures their foot, he or she may not detect it immediately.
Nutritious lentils usually come in bags. The price per pound ranges between $0.50 to $1.50. One can rinse the lentils several times and leave them soaked for several hours before boiling water and adding lentils to the water. They can also be steamed, sauteed, used to make a puree, eaten with rice, made into a stew and used in soup. Cooked lentils are fresh for about three days in the fridge, dried lentils about one to three years, and frozen lentils for about six months. One can tell if lentils have gone bad if discoloration, mold, or a strange smell develop. As with other foods, the type of cooking affects the nutritional quality of the meal. Well, enough said, delight in your meal!
Mwangi is an M4 at UICOMR
mwamai2@uic.edu