Lentil ordinary - lens culinaris

Other names : Lentils food.

Family of Legumes (Fabaceae).

Botanical characteristics. An annual herbaceous plant with a height of 15 - 75 cm.

The roots are thin, unbranched, containing nodules, rich in nitrogen-digestible bacteria. Stem is reddish, erect, tetrahedral, thin, branching, shortly pubescent. Leaves petiolate, complex, parodermorous. Flowers are small, five-petalled, white, blue, pink, purple. The plant is self-pollinating, although it is also possible to cross pollination. The fruit is a flattened orthorhombic rhomboid bean. Seeds biconvex or roundish, with a diameter of 2 - 9 mm, are colored monophatically (yellow, pink, gray, green, brown, black) or with a pattern. By the size of the grain, large-seeded lentils, plate and small seeds are distinguished.

Spread. Lentil is an ancient culture, which was cultivated even in the Stone Age. It is believed that the birthplace of the plant is the Himalayas. From there she was taken to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Rome. On the territory of our country is known since the XIV century, is grown as a fodder and food plant.

Chemical composition. Lentil seeds contain proteins. The proteins of the fruit of the plant include essential amino acids: tryptophan, tyrosine, lysine, arginine, histidine, cystine, methionine. In addition, fats, starch and oligosaccharides, fiber, minerals: potassium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, zinc, carotene, vitamins B1, and B2, PP, C, P.

Application of lentils in medicine

Lentils from ancient times was considered a medicinal plant.

The presence of phytoncids in lentils determines its antimicrobial action, and freshly prepared flour from seeds was used in folk medicine for burns, purulent wounds, mastitis. Decoction of unripe beans is useful in urolithiasis, as a restorative, stimulant, appetite remedy.

Scientific medicine found that seeds of lentils have antitumor activity, radioprotective action.

Preparation

• Decoction of beans of lentils: 2 tbsp. L. The beans are poured into 300 ml of water and cooked until ready. The broth is drunk with constipation, poisoning, after radionuclide lesions.
• Infusion of grass lentils: 1 tbsp. L. Dry crushed herbs pour 1 cup boiling water and insist 30 minutes, filter. Drink a quarter cup 3 times daily before meals with diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, kidney stone disease.