Lentils are legumes —cousins to beans, chickpeas, soybeans and peanuts. The name “lentil” actually comes from the Latin word for “lens,” which makes sense since the dried bean looks like a little lens. Like many other beans, they’ve been used in cooking for centuries and are thought to have originated in the Near East.
While lentils are legumes, just like all other beans, most tend to think of them as their own sort of food. They share a lot of similarities with beans, but also have some fairly big differences. I’ll walk you through the most important differences so that you can get the most from your diet.
Lentils are grouped with beans and peas as part of the legume family because, like all legumes, they grow in pods. Lentils are high in protein and fiber and low in fat, which makes them a healthy substitute for meat. They’re also packed with folate, iron, phosphorus, potassium and fiber.
Are lentils and kidney beans the same thing?
Beans, peas, and lentils belong to a group of vegetables called “pulses.”. This group includes all beans, peas, and lentils cooked from dry, canned, or frozen, such as: kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, pink beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), split peas, pigeon peas, mung beans, and lentils.
Another frequently asked inquiry is “What is the difference between lentils and kidney beans?”.
The most usefull answer is, Lentils contain more fiber and less carbohydrate whereas beans contain more carbohydrates and less fiber. The fourth cup of dry lentils contains a whopping 13 grams of fiber while the fourth cup of kidney beans contains about half that with 7 grams of fiber and garbanzo beans only have 6 grams of fiber.
What’s the difference between lentils and peas?
They even have different cooking times, nutritional values, and purposes. Lentils are one of the most nutritious and versatile plant-based proteins. The pulse is a cousin to peas and beans, and originated in Asia and North Africa. They’re super low-fat and boast high amounts of protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and other nutrients.
They have the same texture as Beluga lentils, and they become firm when cooked. The last common lentils, the red lentils, are fast to cook and often turn gold and lose shape after being cooked. Compared with beans, lentils contain more fiber.
What are the health benefits of lentils and beans?
Lentils and beans are part of the nutritious legume family famous for their reduced fat content and high content of protein and essential vitamins. These vegetables can be substitutes of meat and other protein-containing foods that have small nutritional values.