"Lentils conceal their superpowers with a dowdy exterior. Pound for pound, raw lentils have more protein than steak. While not as protein-dense once cooked, they pack even more iron than meat, in addition to other vitamins and minerals.
Fast to cook, easy to store and exalted enough to be buried with the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, these seeds have sustained empires. Roman soldiers lived on the essential portable protein over their long campaigns.
Today, the lentil is again on the front lines. This time, against climate change. While start-ups scramble to engineer a sustainable protein, from lab-grown meat to fake burgers, lentils are a ready solution, one with a proven record.
The rest of the world has known this for millennia. From India’s red lentil to the French Le Puy to black “beluga” lentils, so named for their resemblance to caviar, the world grows about 6 million tons every year. Unlike corn and other grains, lentils can thrive on arid lands with little water where many other crops wither — while building up the soil."
Michael J. Coren, climate advice columnist, reports for the Washington Post March 21, 2023.
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