The internet is full of fabulous facts about everything from current events to the history basket weaving. Because of this, as we research for our daily content on food trucks, food carts and street food, we stumble upon some items of knowledge that we just did not know.
We have decided when these fun facts pop up, that we would share them with our readers in our section titled “Did You Know?”
For today’s Did You Know we will look at Lentil Fun Facts.
Lentil Fun Facts: The lentil (Lens ensculenta) is a legume that grows in pods containing one or two lentil seeds. They are believed to have originated in central Asia.
- Lentils have been eaten by humans since Neolithic times and were one of the first domesticated crops.
- In the Middle East, lentil seeds have been found dating back more than 8000 years.
- In Judaism, lentils are considered to be a food for mourners because of their round shape symbolizing the circle of life.
- The Greek playwright Aristophanes called lentil soup the “sweetest of delicacies.”
- Lentils have been found in Egyptian tombs dating as far back as 2400 BC.
- In India, the lentil is known as dal or daal.
- For many centuries, lentils were considered to be “the poor man’s meat.” In Catholic countries, those who couldn’t afford fish would eat lentils during Lent instead.
- In the 18th century, King Louis XV’s wife, Marie Leszczynska, made lentils fashionable among royalty and they were nicknamed “the queen’s lentils.”
- There are many different varieties and colors of lentils, including brown, yellow, black, orange, red and green.
- The most common lentils used in the United States are green and brown, since these varieties are best at retaining their shape after cooking.
- Unlike most other beans, lentils don’t need to be soaked before cooking.
- In the 1980s British sitcom “The Young Ones,” the character named Neil is a stereotypical hippie who is always eating lentils.
Lentil Fun Facts We May Have Missed
If so, please feel free to let us know about the lentil fun facts we missed. We always love to add to these lists. If we can verify that the facts is just that, a fact, we will give the reader credit in the article.
Reference: Fun Facts about Lentils
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