Types of Beans

The different types of beans and their nutritional value are among some of the best ways for us to obtain our daily quotient of lean protein and fiber. However, so often the more popular types of beans like, kidney, navy, or black beans are more frequently used. Some of the less familiar types of beans are great choices for many healthy reasons as well.

Black Soybeans

Yes, there are soybeans that aren't yellow. As a matter of fact black soybeans are abundant in their isoflavone and unsaturated fat content, as well as flavonoids. An easy dish to break you into using black soybeans is called Kuromame. This dish is frequently used as a Japanese New Years favorite. Start by soaking the beans overnight, then boiling them 2-3 hours. Once they've been drained, season these with soy sauce and maple syrup. This dish is turns out best when it's been simmered until it's almost dry in a cast iron pan.

Anasazi Beans

As I understand it, these beans found their name by the Native American folks that made cultivated them and made them part of their lives within their cliff dwelling homeplace over 1,500 years ago. These beans are known for their ability to rehydrate themselves to over 3 times their size and are a favorite in cooking because they cook faster than any other type of bean. They also have a great characteristic in the fact that they cause less gas than the others. It's also to their benefit that they combine well with many of the beans used for spicy dishes and are sometimes substituted for pinto beans in chili, casseroles and burritos.

Mung Beans

Mung beans are well respected in the Ayurvedic healing realm for being all encompassing regarding all three of the doshas, or body types. These beans are abundant in starch and as such are great for creating gluten free pastas and noodles that are popularly used in Japan, China, and India.

Black Eyed Peas

So well known for their presence in American southern cooking, these beans likely came to us from Africa. They are symbolic of prosperity and good luck which is one of the reasons they have been served with collard greens. The greens are representative of money. They are great agriculturally because they return nitrogen back to the soil, making them popular among farmers.

Source: October 2011 Issue of Delicious Living