The New Complete Book of Food

0 The New Complete Book of Food

Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food

Antiflatulence diet

Low-calcium diet

Low-carbohydrate diet

Low-fiber diet

Low-purine (antigout) diet

Buying This Food

Look for: Smooth-skinned, uniform, evenly colored lentils that are free of stones and debris.

The good news about beans sold in plastic bags is that the transparent material gives you a

chance to see the beans inside; the bad news is that pyridoxine and pyridoxal, the natural

forms of vitamin B 6 , are very sensitive to light.

Avoid: Lentils sold in bulk. The open bins expose the beans to air and light and may

allow insect contamination (tiny holes in the beans indicate an insect has burrowed into or

through the bean).

Storing This Food

Store lentils in air- and moistureproof containers in cool, dark cabinets where they are pro-

tected from heat, light, and insects.

Preparing This Food

Wash the lentils and pick them over carefully, discarding damaged or withered beans and

any that float. The only beans light enough to float in water are those that have withered

away inside. Lentils do not have to be soaked before cooking.

What Happens When You Cook This Food

When lentils are cooked in liquid, their cells absorb water, swell, and eventually rupture, so

that the nutrients inside are more available to your body.

How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food

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Medical Uses and/or Benefits

Lower risk of some birth defects. Up to two of every 1,000 babies born in the United States

each year may have cleft palate or a neural tube (spinal cord) defect due to their mothers’