Beans

Maya, Aztec and Inca cultures had an agricultural concept called the "Three Sisters": corn, squash and beans grown together in the same plot. The corn provided the climbing pole for the beans. The beans fixed nitrogen in the soil and fed the corn and the squash. The squash covered the ground and preserved moisture. The three sustained one another for thousands of years before humans understood what modern agriculture was.

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) was brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadors after 1492. Within 100 years it had conquered Europe, Africa and Asia. The pace of its spread was exceptional even by 16th-century standards. The reason: beans adapt to almost any climate, require minimal irrigation, and yield a protein that substitutes for meat among the poor.

Geneticists found that beans had two entirely separate centers of domestication: one in Mexico, one in the Andes. Two distinct human populations domesticated it simultaneously, independently, ten thousand kilometers apart. This is "parallel domestication," a rare phenomenon that testifies to just how useful this plant is.

Beans live in symbiosis with Rhizobium leguminosarum bacteria that colonize the roots and form nodules. The bacteria take nitrogen from the air (78% of the atmosphere) and convert it into a compound the plant can absorb. In return they receive sugars. A bean field fertilizes itself. Farmers knew this thousands of years before chemistry explained why.

400 Varieties and 5 Names: A Guide to the Common Types

When we say "beans," we are talking about an entire world. Red kidney beans, white navy beans, speckled Pinto, black beans, Italian cannellini, chili beans, cholent beans. They are all Phaseolus vulgaris, the same species. The difference between them is color, size, texture and starch level, which vary from variety to variety.

Carbs

per 100g dry

Iron

per 100g dry

29

Low GI

glycemic index

341

Calories

per 100g dry

Kidney · Red Kidney Bean

A large, dark-red, kidney-shaped grain. A floury-starchy texture that thickens sauces. The base of Israeli cholent, of Chili con Carne and of Louisiana Red Beans and Rice. Very resistant to prolonged cooking — it only improves. Warning: raw, it contains Phytohaemagglutinin, a toxin neutralized by at least 10 minutes of boiling.

Cholent · Chili · Red Beans

The base of American Baked Beans

A small, white grain with a delicate cream. The name "Navy" comes from the U.S. Navy, which fed sailors with it in the 19th century. The base of Heinz Baked Beans, of niçoise salads and Tuscan ribollita. Cooks relatively quickly, with a smooth cream that blends into sauces.

Baked Beans · Cassoulet

The most popular in North America

A medium grain, beige-orange with brown speckles that disappear in cooking. The best-selling variety in the U.S., the base of Mexican refried beans and Tex-Mex dishes. A delicate nutty-mustardy flavor. An excellent creamy texture for spreads.

Refried · Burritos · Tex-Mex

The heart of Brazilian feijoada

A small-to-medium, glossy black grain. A sweet cream with an earthy tone. It dyes the cooking liquid black-purple. The base of countless South American dishes. A rich flavor that stands on its own without many spices. Very common in Cuba, Colombia and Brazil.

Feijoada · Cuba · Colombia

The European premium

A large, white grain with a very smooth, delicate texture. The base of Pasta e Fagioli, of ribollita, and of minestrone. Less starchy than Kidney, more buttery. The variety that chef restaurants in Italy prefer over any other bean.

Pasta · Minestrone · Italy

Dried beans require planning. 8–12 hours of soaking in double the volume of water. Then 60–90 minutes of cooking, depending on the variety. Pressure cooking shortens it to 25–30 minutes. The Instant Pot and other modern pressure cookers changed the equation: beans with no soaking, 40 minutes under pressure.

Why soak? And what happens if you don't?

Soaking does two things: it softens the skin and begins breaking down oligosaccharides, the sugars responsible for gas. The soaking water is discarded (along with some of the toxins and gas-causing agents). Unsoaked beans cook more slowly, cause more digestive discomfort, and sometimes remain hard in the center.

Raw red kidney beans contain a high concentration of Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), a protein toxin that causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Minimum: 10 minutes of direct boiling. Slow-cooking at a low temperature is not sufficient. Canned beans have undergone industrial processing and are completely safe.

60% of bean consumption in the Western world comes from cans. Canned beans undergo full cooking in the tin at 121°C, with all the liquid. Rinsing the beans before use removes 40% of the sodium. Nutritionally, canned is almost identical to fresh. In terms of flavor, home-cooked dried is superior. In terms of convenience, canned wins.

Black and red beans ground into flour are used for gluten-free baking, high-protein bread, and bean pasta. About 25% protein compared to 10% in wheat flour. A strong flavor that needs to be balanced with other flours. A market growing at 18% annually.

No food has a global presence like beans. On every continent, in every culture that grows legumes, there is a central bean dish. No coincidence: beans reached all of them from the Americas, and acclimatized so quickly that within 200 years they already looked like ancient local food.

Brazil's national dish · black beans with meat

Black beans cooked for hours with smoked pork, sausages, ear, tail and trotter. Served with white rice, sautéed kale, orange slices and farofa (toasted cassava flour). It originated in the cooking of enslaved people who received the cuts of pork the masters did not want and cooked them with the beans. Today it is Brazil's most festive dish.

The great debate: with beans or without?

Original Texan chili contains no beans. Texan purists will call out anyone who adds beans. And yet, commercial chili and most home versions contain red kidney beans. A 150-year-old debate that will never be settled. With beans: more nutritious, cheaper, tastier to most people. Without beans: pure, Texan, proud.

The stew that cooked itself from Friday eve to noon

Red kidney beans with meat, potatoes, whole eggs and whole wheat. Cooked 12–18 hours over low heat. The halachic solution for cooking on the Sabbath: put it in the oven before sunset, take it out ready after prayers. Every Jewish community developed a version. Moroccans: Dafina. Yemenites: cholent with lahoh. Israelis: "Jerusalem cholent" with pearl barley.

The stew born of an argument

White navy beans with confit duck, Toulouse sausage and lamb. Its name comes from the cassole, the earthenware vessel in which it is cooked. According to legend, it was created in a French garrison during the Hundred Years' War when food ran low. Different versions exist between Carcassonne, Castelnaudary and Toulouse, each city claiming the authentic version.

From the Americas to Africa, from Europe to Asia, a single bean became dozens of national dishes. No legume traveled so far in so little time.

The global bean market reached $18 billion in 2023, the largest in the legume category. Brazil leads in black bean production, India in green beans, Myanmar in exports to Asia. The U.S. is a huge consumer with its Chili and Baked Beans industries. Israel imports mainly red kidney beans for the retail market and the cholent industry.

The bean market is growing at 6% annually. The drivers: rising plant-protein consumption, demand for nutritious and inexpensive food, and the popularity of Latin cuisine in Europe and Israel. Black bean pasta grows 45% annually in the U.S. Roasted bean snacks are taking a share of the snack market. Bean flour is crossing into the gluten-free baking market.

Blue Star supplies red kidney beans and white navy beans to the Israeli market. Sources: Argentina and Canada. Kidney price: $750–900 per ton. Ordering season: January–April (after the South American harvest). Minimum: 25 tons. Black beans and cannellini on request.

Beans grow on every continent except Antarctica. But the center of gravity has shifted from Latin America, where it was born, to Asia and Africa, where the largest domestic demand lies. Brazil remains the country with the highest per-capita consumption in the world: about 15 kilograms per person per year.

🇲🇲 Myanmar

🇮🇳 India

🇧🇷 Brazil

🇺🇸 USA

🇨🇳 China

🌍 Rest of world

Israel imports about 40,000–60,000 tons of dried beans per year, mainly red kidney for the cholent market. Sources: Argentina (50%), Canada (30%), USA (15%). The bulk of imports arrives in September–November, immediately after the South American harvest.

Beans are not a dangerous product, but they require attention at two critical points: the natural toxin in raw kidney beans, and the microbiological risk in poor storage.

Raw red kidney beans contain a high concentration of Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), a lectin that interferes with nutrient absorption and can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea within 1–3 hours. Toxic concentration: 20,000–70,000 hau per gram. Safe concentration after cooking: 200–400 hau.

A simple rule: at least 10 minutes of boiling neutralizes the PHA. A slow cooker (90–95°C) is not enough. A cholent cooked 12 hours in the oven rules out the risk only if the initial temperature reaches 100°C. You can boil for 10 minutes before placing it in a slow oven.

Black beans, Navy, Cannellini and Pinto contain far lower concentrations of PHA. Critical warning: red kidney only. Green beans (fresh/frozen) and canned beans: completely safe.

Beans are widely studied in the context of heart health, diabetes, and colon cancer prevention. The strongest evidence is in the area of cholesterol and blood sugar.

Heart: A meta-analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine (2012) of 26 clinical trials found that daily consumption of one cup of legumes lowered LDL by 5–6% on average. The soluble fiber from grains and legumes binds bile acids in the gut, forcing the liver to produce new bile acids from cholesterol.

Diabetes: A glycemic index of 29, one of the lowest of any carbohydrate food. The fiber slows glucose absorption. Harvard studies of 200,000 women found a link between legume consumption (3–4 times per week) and a 24% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes.

29

Glycemic index

among the lowest

15g

Fiber per 100g dry

60% of daily intake

-6%

LDL reduction

daily consumption

21g

Green Beans: The Fresh Variety

Green beans (Green Beans / French Beans) are the same species, Phaseolus vulgaris, but harvested before full maturity. In 100 grams there are only 31 calories, 3.4 grams of fiber, and a high concentration of vitamin K, vitamin C and manganese. Less protein than the dried form, but a dish that goes from field straight to plate.

In Israel, frozen green beans from Mexico and South Africa dominate the retail market. The fresh Israeli bean season: March–September, mainly in the Jordan Valley.

Beans stand at the intersection of two enormous forces of the 21st century: rising demand for plant protein on one side, and climate change challenging other crops on the other. In both, beans win.

Demand for plant protein: beans offer 21 grams of protein per 100 grams dry, at a price of $700–950 per ton, less than any alternative protein source. Black bean pasta, bean flour for baking, and roasted bean snacks — all three categories grow 30–45% annually in the U.S. and Europe.

Climate change: beans fix nitrogen in the soil and reduce the need for fertilizers. They grow across a wide range of climates. CIMMYT and CIAT research develops heat- and drought-resistant varieties. Unlike meat, the carbon footprint of beans: 2 kg CO₂ per kg of protein, compared to 27 kg per kg of beef protein.

Red kidney beans and navy beans for the Israeli market. Sources: Argentina, Canada. Ordering season: January–April. Minimum 25 tons. Black beans and cannellini on request.