Navy bean
The navy bean, haricot bean, pearl haricot bean,[1] Boston bean,[2] white pea bean,[3] or pea bean[4] is a variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) native to the Americas, where it was first domesticated.[5] It is a dry white bean that is smaller than many other types of white beans, and has an oval, slightly flattened shape.[1] It features in such dishes as baked beans,[1] various soups such as Senate bean soup,[6] and even pies.
Navy Bean | |
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Species | Phaseolus vulgaris |
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Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
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Energy | 1,468 kJ (351 kcal) |
60.75 g | |
Sugars | 3.88 g |
Dietary fiber | 4.3 g |
1.5 g | |
22.33 g | |
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†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA FoodData Central |
The green bean plants[2] that produce navy beans may be either of the bush type or vining type, depending on which cultivar they are.[7]
History
![](../I/US_Navy_050409-N-9693M-436_White_House_Chef_Culinary_Specialist_1st_Class_Ernesto_Alvarez_serves_Navy_Bean_soup_to_visitors_at_the_Navy_Memorial.jpg.webp)
The name "Navy bean" is an American term coined because the US Navy has served the beans as a staple to its sailors since the mid-1800s.[8]
In Australia, navy bean production began during World War II when it became necessary to find an economical way of supplying a nutritious food to the many troops—especially American troops—based in Queensland. The United States military maintained a large base in Kingaroy and had many bases and camps throughout south-east Queensland. It actively encouraged the widespread planting of the beans.[9] Kingaroy is known as the Baked Bean Capital of Australia.[10] Another popular name for the bean during this time was "the Yankee bean".[11]
Cultivars
Navy bean cultivars include:
Other white beans
Other varieties of white beans include:
- Cannellini (or fazolia[2]) are a white kidney bean that is popular in central and southern Italy, but first developed in Argentina.[2] They are larger than navy beans and closely related to the red kidney bean They are used in minestrone soups.[2]
- Lima beans, also known as Butter Beans.
- Great northern, also called "large white" beans, are larger than navy beans as well, but smaller than cannellini beans. They have a flattened shape similar to lima beans and a delicate flavor.
- The runner bean, Phaseolus coccineus, is a large white bean known in Greece as gígantes (Greek: γίγαντες, "giants") and eléfantes (ελέφαντες, "elephants").
- The marrow bean, a medium to large white bean with a bacon-like flavor, which was popular for baked beans in the U.S. in the 19th and early 20th centuries.[14]
Nutritional value
White beans are the most abundant plant-based source of phosphatidylserine (PS) yet known.[15] It contains notably high levels of apigenin, 452±192 μg/kg, which vary widely among legumes.[16]
Consumption of baked beans has been shown to lower total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.[17][18] This might be at least partly explained by the high saponin content of navy beans. Saponins also exhibit antibacterial and anti-fungal activity, and have been found to inhibit cancer cell growth.[19] Furthermore, navy beans are the richest source of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid among the common bean varieties.[20]
Storage and safety
Dried and canned beans stay fresh longer by storing them in a pantry or other cool, dark place under 75 °F (24 °C). With normal seed storage, seeds should last from one to four years for replanting, with a very large timetable for cooking for well-kept seeds, nearing on indefinite. Avoid beans that are discolored from the pure white color of these beans, as they may have been poorly handled while they dried.[21]
References
- "Beans, White Pearl Haricot, Dried, per kilo". kirkfood.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- Willan, Anne (1989-09-17). La Varenne Pratique: Part 3, Vegetables, Pasta & Grains. p. 205. ISBN 9780991134625.
- "Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)". Pulse Canada. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
- "Pea bean". The American Heritage Dictionary. Retrieved 2013-09-17.
- Paul Gepts (December 1998). "Origin and evolution of common bean: past events and recent trends". HortScience. 33 (7): 1124–1130. doi:10.21273/HORTSCI.33.7.1124. Archived from the original on 2015-10-19. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- [senate.gov/reference/reference_item/bean_soup.htm Senate Bean Soup]
- Mark Goodwin (2003). "Crop Profile for Dry Beans" (PDF). Pulse Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
- "History". Bean Growers Australia. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- "History". Bean Growers Australia. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- "History". Bean Growers Australia. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- "History". Bean Growers Australia. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
- James D. Kelly. "One Hundred Years of Bean Breeding at Michigan State University: A Chronology" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
- Schwartz, H.F.; Corrales, M.A.P. (1989). Bean Production Problems in the Tropics. Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT). ISBN 9789589183045.
- GourmetSleuth. "Marrow beans". Gourmet Sleuth. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
- Souci SW, Fachmann E, Kraut H (2008). Food Composition and Nutrition Tables. Medpharm Scientific Publishers Stuttgart.
- Konar, Nevzat (2013). "Non-isoflavone phytoestrogenic compound contents of various legumes". European Food Research and Technology. 236 (3): 523–530. doi:10.1007/s00217-013-1914-0. S2CID 85373016.
- Shutler, Susan M.; Bircher, Gemma M.; Tredger, Jacki A.; Morgan, Linda M.; Walker, Ann F.; Low, A. G. (2007). "The effect of daily baked bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) consumption on the plasma lipid levels of young, normo-cholesterolaemic men". British Journal of Nutrition. 61 (2): 257. doi:10.1079/BJN19890114.
- Winham, Donna M.; Hutchins, Andrea M. (2007). "Baked bean consumption reduces serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults". Nutrition Research. 27 (7): 380–386. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2007.04.017.
- Shi, John; Xue, Sophia Jun; Ma, Ying; Li, Dong; Kakuda, Yukio; Lan, Yubin (2009). "Kinetic study of saponins B stability in navy beans under different processing conditions". Journal of Food Engineering. 93: 59–65. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2008.12.035.
- Luthria, Devanand L.; Pastor-Corrales, Marcial A. (2006). "Phenolic acids content of fifteen dry edible bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties". Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 19 (2–3): 205–211. doi:10.1016/j.jfca.2005.09.003.
- "How Long Do Beans Last?". Retrieved 23 November 2014.