Lentil (Lens culinaris L.): A prebiotic-rich whole food legume

Prebiotic carbohydrates are important components of healthy diets, supporting healthful hindgut microflora. Lentils grown in North Dakota, USA were evaluated for their prebiotic carbohydrates. Raffinose-family oligosaccharides (RFO), sugar alcohols, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and resistant starch (RS) carbohydrates were analyzed in 10 commercial lentil varieties grown in Ward and McLean Counties in 2010 and 2011. Mean concentrations of RFO, sugar alcohols, FOS and RS were 4071 mg, 1423 mg, 62 mg, and 7.5 g 100 g− 1 dry matter, respectively. Significant variations were observed in lentil prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations: RFO concentrations varied with variety, RS varied with location, and sorbitol and mannitol each varied with both variety and location. These results show that lentils contain nutritionally significant amounts of prebiotic carbohydrates and, that it may be possible to enhance those amounts through breeding and locational sourcing.

► Prebiotic carbohydrates are important components of healthy diets. ► Lentils are naturally rich in prebiotic carbohydrates. ► A 100 g serving of lentils may provide over 13 g of prebiotics.