Navy bean explained

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 bean pies.

The plants^[2] that produce navy beans may be either of the bush type or vining type, depending on the cultivar.^[7]

History

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.^[8] Kingaroy is known as the Baked Bean Capital of Australia.^[8] Another popular name for the bean during this time was "the Yankee bean".^[8]

Cultivars

Navy bean cultivars include:

• "Rainy River"
• "Robust", resistant to the bean common mosaic virus (BCMV),^[9] which is transmitted through seeds^[10]
• Michelite, descended from 'Robust', but with higher yields and better seed quality^[10]
• Sanilac, the first bush navy bean cultivar^[10]

Nutritional value

White beans are the most abundant plant-based source of phosphatidylserine (PS) currently known.^[11] It contains notably high levels of apigenin,, which vary widely among legumes.^[12]

Consumption of baked beans has been shown to lower total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.^{[13] [14]} 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.^[15] Furthermore, navy beans are the richest source of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid among the common bean varieties.^[16]

Storage and safety

Dried and canned beans stay fresh longer by storing them in a pantry or other cool, dark place under 75F. 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.^[17]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Beans, White Pearl Haricot, Dried, per kilo. kirkfood.com.au. 12 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170218194510/http://www.kirkfood.com.au/product/410-beans-white-pearl-haricot-dried-per-kilo. 18 February 2017. dead.
2. Book: La Varenne Pratique: Part 3, Vegetables, Pasta & Grains. 205. 9780991134625. Willan. Anne. 1989-09-17.
3. Web site: Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) . 30 August 2014 . Pulse Canada.
4. Web site: Pea bean. The American Heritage Dictionary. 2013-09-17.
5. Origin and evolution of common bean: past events and recent trends . Paul Gepts . . December 1998 . 33 . 7 . 1124–1130 . 10.21273/HORTSCI.33.7.1124 . 2016-03-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151019124712/http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/33/7/1124.full.pdf+html . 2015-10-19 . dead . free .
6. senate.gov/reference/reference_item/bean_soup.htm Senate Bean Soup
7. Web site: Crop Profile for Dry Beans . Mark Goodwin . Pulse Canada . 2003 . 30 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141127064148/http://www.pulsecanada.com/uploads/a2/09/a2097ea4c4b74e2f8ca52c406c144233/Bean-Profile.PDF . 27 November 2014 . dead .
8. Web site: History. Bean Growers Australia. en-AU. 2017-10-06.
9. Book: Schwartz, H.F. . Corrales, M.A.P. . 1989 . Bean Production Problems in the Tropics . Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) . 9789589183045 .
10. Web site: One Hundred Years of Bean Breeding at Michigan State University: A Chronology . James D. Kelly . 30 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131107201421/http://agbioresearch.msu.edu/uploads/files/Research_Center/Saginaw_Valley/100YrsMSUBeanBreeding.pdf . 7 November 2013 . dead .
11. Souci SW, Fachmann E, Kraut H (2008). Food Composition and Nutrition Tables. Medpharm Scientific Publishers Stuttgart.
12. 10.1007/s00217-013-1914-0. Non-isoflavone phytoestrogenic compound contents of various legumes. European Food Research and Technology. 236. 3. 523–530. 2013. Konar. Nevzat. 85373016.
13. 10.1079/BJN19890114. 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. 2007. Shutler. Susan M.. Bircher. Gemma M.. Tredger. Jacki A.. Morgan. Linda M.. Walker. Ann F.. Low. A. G.. free.
14. 10.1016/j.nutres.2007.04.017. Baked bean consumption reduces serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults. Nutrition Research. 27. 7. 380–386. 2007. Winham. Donna M.. Hutchins. Andrea M..
15. 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2008.12.035. Kinetic study of saponins B stability in navy beans under different processing conditions. Journal of Food Engineering. 93. 59–65. 2009. Shi. John. Xue. Sophia Jun. Ma. Ying. Li. Dong. Kakuda. Yukio. Lan. Yubin.
16. 10.1016/j.jfca.2005.09.003. Phenolic acids content of fifteen dry edible bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 19. 2–3. 205–211. 2006. Luthria. Devanand L.. Pastor-Corrales. Marcial A..
17. Web site: How Long Do Beans Last?. 23 November 2014.