Cherry Kilpatrick, age 11, of Twin Falls, Idaho, for her question:

ARE LENTILS VERY NUTRITIOUS?

The lentil is an ancient food plant. It belongs to the leguminous family of plants which includes beans and peas. Lentils are among the most nutritious legumes. They are rich in protein and carbohydrates and vitamins. They also have a distinctive flavor.

The seeds of the lentil are the part used as food. They are red brown, gray or black and never grow more than one half inch in diameter. The seeds are shaped like a lens. The lens itself was so named because it looked like a lentil seed.

Lentils are usually used to make soups, casseroles and salad. As a table food, lentil seeds are not as common in the United States as they are in many other parts of the world.

The lentil plant grows best in light, dry soil. Plants grown in a rich soil do not bear many pods.

The plant can be used as fodder for sheep, horses and cattle.

The lentil was one of the first cultivated food plants. It has been grown in gardens since about 2200 B.C.