Lentil flour

Lentils

Lentils are the seeds of plants belonging to the Fabaceae family (Leguminosae), Genus Lens, Specie culinaris ; therefore, its binomial nomenclature is Lens culinaris Medik.

There are many types of lentils, distinguishable by differences in morphology and pigmentation; the most famous are the brown, the red (also decorticated), the green, the blonde and the rose.

Lentils originate from temperate areas east of the Mediterranean Sea basin, the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Today, the country that produces the largest quantities is undoubtedly India (also a major consumer), followed by Canada and Turkey. In the rest of Europe, lentils are much appreciated but consumption is not even remotely comparable to the eastern one. In Italy, the most famous lentil variety is Castelluccio di Norcia (DOP).

That of lentils is an annual herbaceous plant that reaches an average height of 50cm (depending on the variety). It has straight twigs, not prostrate, with opposite and pinnate leaves; the flowers are white or blue and bloom between the spring and summer months. The whole fruit is constituted by the pod, inside which a pair of discoid and rounded seeds are enclosed; the size and color of lentil seeds varies, as we have already said, according to the variety.

Lentils can be found fresh, dried, frozen or in a jar (with government liquid); their consumption includes the whole shape, pureed, pureed or in the form of flour . It is one of the very few legumes that, even when dried, does not require soaking with rehydration; cooking is still to be done in cold water.

Lentils can be an excellent first course, a single dish (if accompanied by other foods), a side dish or the base for some bakery products or ethnic condiments.

Video Recipe: Lentils, how to cook them with little fat

Lentil flour

Lentil flour is the product obtained by grinding ripe and dried, but not peeled (and therefore whole) seeds of the Lens culinaris plant, a green variety.

Lentil flour is mainly used in the formulation of liquid first courses, such as velvety and creams. Furthermore, it is often mixed with gluten flours (especially wheat) for the production of baked foods (with sourdough or brewer's yeast); in this case, the proportion must always be in favor of the gluten-containing flour, so as to allow the correct growth of the dough.

As for the other legume flours (or gluten-free cereals), also the lentil flour is used between 5 and 30% compared to the main glutinate. At 5% it improves both the physical and the organoleptic properties of the food; on the other hand, at 30% it promotes the structuring of an extremely characteristic product, more compact, less leavened and requiring the use of a wheat flour particularly rich in gluten (eg manitoba). To be honest, lentil flour lends itself more to the production of little leavened foods, such as pan-fried bread or stone, biscuits, crackers, etc., in which it could also make use of chemical yeast.

Lentil flour is widely used in the formulation of totally vegetable mixtures (for the vegan diet) such as, for example, seitan or wheat muscle.

Lentil flour has a fairly high energy intake, however lower than that of most cereals (on average, over 10%). Calories are supplied mainly by complex carbohydrates, or starch. Proteins are also abundant and use a discrete (Medium) Biological Value; however, remember that by combining them with those of cereals, these peptides can reach an amino acid pool of high biological value. Fatty acids are deficient.

Lentil flour provides excellent concentrations of both soluble and insoluble fiber and has no traces of cholesterol.

Being such a gluten-free product, that is, it does not contain gluten, lentil flour lends itself to the celiac diet. Moreover, thanks to the typical chemical composition, it boasts a low glycemic index, therefore (in the right portions) it has the ability to stimulate insulin secretion little compared to many other foods of the same category.

As far as the vitamin aspect is concerned, lentil flour contains considerable amounts of water-soluble molecules belonging to group B; the contributions of thiamine (vit. B1) and niacin (vit. PP) stand out above all.

With regard to mineral salts, however, lentil flour contains excellent levels of potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium. Due to these characteristics, it is very suitable for the sportsman's diet (for potassium and magnesium) and for subjects that are generally anemic (due to the iron content).

Lentil flour, in the form of soup, is also advisable in the diet of the obese, as it provides an extremely limited calorie intake; among other things, due to its considerable content in dietary fiber, it favors the improvement of glycemic parameters in diabetics (if replacing wheat derivatives), cholesterolemia and intestinal health (optimizing peristalsis and performing a prebiotic function).

The average portion of lentil flour is always to be evaluated in the specific dietary context.