Organic Lentil - 400gr

General informations It is one of the foods prepared by man of which there are many written testimonies. Their cultivation begins in the lands of ancient Egypt to then spread and be appreciated by other peoples for their highly nutritious value. In the Middle Ages, the wealthier classes relegated the consumption of lentils to the table of the poor, served and eaten almost exclusively in convents and among humble people. Today lentils are consumed and appreciated in a large part of the world and like most other legumes, if grown in compliance with crop rotation rules, they may not require the use of mineral fertilizers and phytochemicals, thus resulting particularly suitable for organic farming. Finally, let's note a curious popular belief about lentils. As they are small, with the same weight as other legumes, they appear on the plate in greater numbers. Therefore eating lentils on the first day of the year leads the family to hope to earn an equal number of gold coins. Nutritional values This legume, in addition to having a high protein content, a good amount of sugar and a low amount of fat, is also rich in phosphorus, iron and group B vitamins. Lentils are very suitable for the prevention of arteriosclerosis because the low fat they contain are of the unsaturated type. The large amount of fibers make them very important and useful for the functioning of the intestinal system. They also contain substances that purify the body, while the substantial content of vitamin PP makes them a powerful balancer of the nervous system, with antidepressant and antipsychotic action. Cultivation areas Lentils are legumes grown in many countries around the world even if authoritative experts recognize that the most valuable qualities are those grown in Italy. In particular, the Italian region best known for their cultivation is undoubtedly Umbria. Storage and consumption The product must be stored in a cool and dry place; it can be kept dry for a period of over two years. Soaking the lentils before cooking serves to soften them, and to "awaken" the seed to prepare to sprout, thus its nutritional value improves. However, not all lentils need to be soaked. Usually the large lentils (common and giant) are soaked and not the smaller ones. A quick soak (30-60') still makes even the smallest lentils more tender. After soaking, the simplest way to cook the lentils is to boil them in plenty of water (at least double the volume of the lentils) for about 30 minutes. But be careful not to salt the water immediately, because the salt will make the lentils harder. A few minutes from the end of cooking, before draining them, add the salt and then serve them with a drizzle of raw oil.