Bean Facts
Bean Facts You Might Like to Know
Beans have many varieties, so you're sure to find at least one type that you like – and probably more!
• The word “bean”, facts say, used to refer to the broad bean's seed, but now includes many types of beans, such as soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, lupins, peas, kidney beans and vetches.
• In the United States, the term “beans” also sometimes includes some crops that technically aren't beans – like coffee beans, cocoa beans, castor beans and vanilla beans.
• Beans were likely cultivated first in ancient Egypt, and they have been grown in the Americas area for about six thousand years. Many beans we see today came from varieties in the old world, but most of the beans we commonly eat fresh come from the Americas. Christopher Columbus first saw them in what we now call the Bahamas. The bean, facts say, was and is a protein source. There are over four thousand growers of beans in the United States today.
• Green beans, or string beans, have 25% of your daily allowance of Vitamin K, and about 20% of Vitamin C. They also contain Vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3. They have only 44 calories in a one-cup serving.
• The vitamin K that the beans provide is important for keeping bones strong and healthy. Beans are also good for you to eat if you are watching your bad cholesterol. They may also help in preventing colon cancer.
• The vitamin C and beta-carotene in the bean, facts confirm, are excellent anti-inflammatories. They may help in reducing the seriousness of diseases that involve inflammation, like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
• Beans are a good iron source, which is healthy for anyone who has an iron deficiency. The bean, facts confirm, is a healthier way to get iron than eating red meat, because the bean is fat-free and has fewer calories than red meat.
• The Vitamins A and C and Zinc in the bean, facts say, help promote the health of your immune system. Vitamin C helps stimulate white blood cells in order to fight infection.
• In selecting beans, it's best if you purchase them at a farmer's market, so you can pick the best beans. Fresh beans should have a bright color and should be smooth to the touch.
• You should store beans unwashed in a plastic bag, in the crisper section of the refrigerator. If you store beans that way, they should keep well for about six or seven days.
• You can make a healthy dish by sautéing shitake mushrooms with beans.
• Roast red peppers and garlic, along with green beans, and mix with seasonings and olive oil – it makes a great salad.
• Green beans almondine is a favorite with many people – sauté the green beans and then sprinkle slivered almonds on top.