Organic Lentils
Lentils owe their name to their lens-like shape, and our organic lentils deserve a closer look.
- Red lentils belong to the legume or Fabaceae family of plants. The seeds of legumes are called pulses and include lentils, beans and peas. Because they are an affordable and significant source of nutrients, particularly protein, pulses such as lentils are staple foods in many diets.
- Turkey is a native land of the red lentil, with evidence of its cultivation in the country dating back thousands of years. Our organic lentils are grown in southeastern Turkey without the use of chemicals. The lentil plant is beneficial for sustainable agriculture because it can naturally fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil through a species of bacteria living in its roots. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth and growing lentils helps reduce the need for chemical fertilizers.
- An important difficulty in organic lentil cultivation arises from the lentil crop’s vulnerability to weeds due to the slow pace at which lentil seedlings grow. One strategy that is commonly adopted to meet this challenge is to rotate the lentil crop with other crops. Our red lentils are unhulled and are available both in whole form (footballs) and in split form.
- Benefits of Organic Lentils
- The small, disc-shaped lentil is a nutritional powerhouse of protein, complex carbohydrates, and essential nutrients. Lentils rank high in the legume family for their protein content, and combining lentils with whole grains provides all essential amino acids necessary for the body’s protein supply.
- Lentils are also an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, including slow-digesting or resistant starches, and fiber. Resistant starches are absorbed slowly in the digestive tract and therefore prevent sudden fluctuations in blood sugar. They also serve as nourishment for bacteria living in the colon, and a healthy gut flora has been linked to a strong immune system and reduced risk of colon cancer. The fiber in lentils reduces the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood leading to improved cardiovascular health. It also helps food move smoothly through the digestive tract, promoting digestive regularity.
- Red lentils are a rich source of iron, which is essential to ensure adequate oxygen supply to the body’s working cells. Plant sources of iron provide what is called nonheme iron, which is less easily absorbed in the body than the heme iron found in animal foods. To boost the body’s absorption of nonheme iron, it is best to combine it with vitamin C. Squeezing lemon juice on red lentil soup is a tasty way to make the iron more available to the body’s cells.
- Lentils surpass all other plants in folate content, a type of B vitamin that is needed to make red blood cells and for cells to grow properly. An adequate supply of folate also helps prevent depression.
- How to Use Organic Lentils
- In today’s fast-paced world where families have little time to cook, red lentils make more convenient meals than other members of the legume family because they require no soaking prior to being cooked, and cook quickly.
- Red lentils have a mild, slightly sweet flavor, and they become soft and tend to break down during cooking. They are therefore often enjoyed in soups and stews. The combination of fiber and protein in lentils promotes feelings of satiety which makes them particularly comforting to eat in cold weather.
- Vegetarians and vegans have long relied on the versatility and protein content of lentils to use them as meat substitutes in such preparations as vegetarian burgers or as a basis for spreads. Red lentils are a staple of Indian cuisine where they are used to give substance and texture to dishes such as curries and dals.
Types
● Red Split Lentils
● Red Football Lentils
Available as
● Whole
Certifications
● NOP Organic
● EU / EC Organic
● COR Organic
● Kosher
● Halal
Did You Know?
Lentil soup has been consumed in the Middle East for millennia. A biblical story recounts that Esau, the older brother of the Jewish Patriarch Jacob, sold his birthright to his sibling in exchange for a bowl of lentil soup. In Middle Eastern cuisine, lentil soup is often sprinkled with cumin.
While the aroma of cumin enhances the dish, cumin also helps in the digestion of lentils, as it helps to relieve the discomfort that may be caused by the fermentation of starches by gut bacteria.
- Red Lentils
- Apricot Kernels
- Black Cumin Seeds
- Chickpeas
- Dried Apricots
- Dried Figs
- Dried Mulberries
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Raisins
- Sesame Seeds
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Tahini
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