Tags: ancient cultivated crops, legume, protein, South Westen Asia
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Lentil is a legume (a plant that bears pods as fruits) that commonly thrives in South Western Asia and in temperate regions. It has small flowers with white, blue, and lilac petals. It can grow up to 45 cm (18 in) tall and has pinnate leaves. The pod contains edible lens-shaped seeds (also called lentils) in brown, orange, yellow, and green varieties.
Lentils are rich in protein and may be used as meat substitute when combined with nuts, seeds, or grains. One of the oldest cultivated crops, Lentils were eaten by ancient Greeks, Babylonians, Egyptians, and Romans.
In taxonomy, lentil belongs to the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae), classified as Lens culinaris.