The health benefits of lentils are well known, but new research into lentil flour has shown those benefits are enhanced when it is baked in bread.
Charles Sturt University's Functional Grains Centre PhD student Drew Portman said the cooking process amplified antioxidant activity.
"That can help your body to mop up free radicals that can cause damage to human cells," he said.
"Lentil flour is also high in protein so it can help keep people full for longer, which could help people manage their weight."
Taste testing
Part of the research involved finding the right mix of wheat and lentil flour to make a good loaf of bread.
"In a baking test we'd make 30 loaves. We'd measure the loaf volume, the crumb softness and chewability and also the crumb colour," Mr Portman said.
"We think we've found a mix that works well."
Mr Portman said those who had tasted the bread liked it.
"Most people think it will have a beany flavour — but when it's cooked it has more of a peanuty taste to it," he said.
"I like wheat, it's a fantastic product but it has a few deficiencies, so with the addition of lentil flour we can make bread that's more wholesome."
New market for growers
Australia produces, on average, around 500,000 tonnes of lentils each year, with around 95 per cent of the Australian crop exported.
Pulse Australia industry development manager Phil Bowden said most of Australia's lentils went to India, but this year India increased tariffs on lentils to 60 per cent to protect Indian growers.
"The international market is volatile," he said.
"Currently there's no secondary market for lentils so anything that's not suitable for human consumption is often sold into a low-value stock feed market.
"Growers are always looking for more stable markets, so anything that gives them more options is worthwhile."
Mr Portman hoped that showing the health benefits of lentils would help increase domestic consumption.
"I would not go out and eat lentils, but if it was in a hamburger bun I possibly would, I just don't think that way," he said.
"There's a market for alternative food products in Australia and consumers are very savvy about these kinds of things.
"So if we can demonstrate health benefits in doing this kind of work then we can increase lentil consumption in Australia."
Marketing potential
Functional Grains Centre director Chris Blanchard, who is overseeing the research, said there was strong marketing potential for lentil bread.
"If you think back 10 or 20 years ago and the bread we ate back then, it was all bright, white bread and things have changed," he said.
"If you look on the supermarket shelves now we have multigrain and wholemeal, and I think this will be a really exciting addition to those products because it adds some additional benefits."
