Revalenta Arabica, or Ervalenta, was a preparation sold in the 18th century as an empirical diet for patients, extraordinary restorative virtues being attributed to it.

The product that was mass-marketed was, in reality, only a preparation of the common lentil, its first name being formed for disguise by the transposition of its earlier botanical name, Ervum lens. While indeed lentils are a healthy and nutritious food, Revalenta Arabica's value was about similar to the common pea-meal (or ground split peas).

Original

The real Revalenta arabica is the "root" of Glossostemon bruguieri. The roots were sold under the name Arabgossi.^[1] In Egypt, they are known as Moghat. The original plant of the product was unknown for a long time, until the German Africa explorer and botanician Georg Schweinfurth discovered Glossostemon bruguieri as its source.^[2]

They are prepared as a light dish for ailing or ill persons. Plant and usage are described already in Firdous al-Hikmah („Paradise of Wisdom“) of Ali al-Tabari, a medicinal encyclopedia from the 9th century AD.^[2][3]