Beans is a common term used to describe any plant that comes under the family Fabaceae. Fabaceae is a plant family, also known as pea family or bean family. There are several different types of beans that come under this family. Some types of beans are used for cooking, while some are inedible. Beans are known for their high proteins, low fat and low cholesterol content. They are also high in useful minerals required by the body, like potassium, magnesium and iron. Beans make great substitution for meat in case of vegetarians. Beans are very versatile and are used in various cuisines all over the world. Given below are types of beans list and short information on each type.
Different Types of Beans
Azuki Beans
Azuki beans, also spelled as adzuki beans or aduki beans, are cultivated extensively in the Eastern countries like Japan and China. These beans are small in size, red in color, round in shape with sweet flavor and are pointed from one side. Because of their sweet flavor, these beans are used to make sweet bean paste. Red bean rice, moon-cakes, baozi, etc., are some of the Asian cuisines that use azuki beans. These beans are good sources of nutrients like potassium, iron, copper, fiber and vitamin B3. They are low in fats and sodium and hence help to maintain normal blood pressure level.
Black Beans
Black beans are also referred as black turtle beans or turtle beans. These beans are shiny, dark and have shell like shape, hence named as turtle beans. These beans are a part of staple diet of Latin Americans and Caribbeans. Black beans are known for their sweet flavor and soft texture when cooked. They are used as main ingredients for preparing casseroles, soups and pasta recipes. Domino, valentine, black-hawk, etc., are some of the varieties of black beans. These beans are natural cholesterol reducers and make good diet option for diabetic patients.
Broad Beans
Broad beans are considered as some of the oldest cultivated vegetables. Other names for broad beans include pigeon beans, fava beans, horse beans and windsor beans. These beans have unique taste with smooth and creamy texture after cooking. These beans are also called fava beans, since they can cause favism. Favism is nothing but an enzyme deficiency caused due to exposure to fava beans.
Haricot Beans
Navy beans, pea beans, white beans, etc. are some of the alternate names for haricot beans. These beans are specially used for making baked beans recipes. They got the name "navy beans", since they were used extensively near the sea in 19th century. Haricot beans are oval shaped, small in size and have cream color. These beans need to be soaked before cooking.
Kidney Beans
Kidney beans as their name suggests are kidney shaped beans that are either dark red or light red in color. Sometimes these beans are called "chilli beans". These beans are free of cholesterol and hence are part of healthy diet. They contain moderate amount of carbohydrates and are rich in iron and calcium. Kidney beans are widely used for preparing various recipes that include casseroles and salads. These beans add incredible texture and taste to the recipe and hence used in various cuisines, especially in India.
Lima Beans
Lima beans are also called butter beans, Pallar beans, Haba beans, Madagascar beans, sugar beans, etc. Lima beans are actually seeds of a legume called Phaseolus lunatus. Lima beans are flat with greenish-white shade. They are named as butter beans due to their butter like taste and creamy soft texture. These beans are found both in large and small varieties and are used to prepare array of delicious recipes.
Hyacinth Beans
Indian beans, Egyptian beans, bulay, etc., are some other names of hyacinth beans. This bean is widely grown as food crop in tropical regions, that include, India, Indonesia and Africa. The bean plant actually grows like a vine and has pods that are dark purple in color. Not just the beans, but the leaves and flowers of this plant are also edible.
List of Types of Beans
- Green Beans
- Pinto beans
- Soy Beans
- Rice Beans
- Velvet Beans
- Tepary Beans
- Sword Beans
- Winged Beans
- Snake Beans
This was a brief information on different types of beans. Now, when you know what are different types of beans and what nutrition they provide, try to include these beans in your meals and enjoy their health benefits.
