Article by Gil "hannaone"
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Image by starbright from Pixabay
Weight information obtained from USDA food database

Beans have been around for thousands of years, and archaeological evidence indicates they were a staple food in ancient societies.

Phaseolus, the genus which originated in the Americas, is the largest family of beans commonly consumed today. While exploring what may have been the Bahamas, Christopher Columbus saw beans growing in fields. It is believed that beans were cultivated in the Andes Mountains of South America as early as 5000 BCE.

For over 20,000 years, some Eastern cultures have relied on legumes, including beans, as a basic dietary staple. Over 5,000 years ago, common beans, lima beans, and cranberry beans (pinta) were cultivated in Mexico and Peru and were popular with both the Aztecs and Incas.

Adzuki beans, or commonly referred to as red mung beans, have a rich history in East Asia. Its cultivated predecessor, Vigna angularis var. nipponensis, can be found throughout the region. Excavations suggest that these beans were first domesticated around 3000 BCE, although they still maintained their natural size at that time. Nowadays, adzuki beans are extensively grown in nations such as Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan in a range of colors like red, white, black, and gray.

Around 1100 BCE, Chinese farmers domesticated soybeans in Southeast Asia. By the first century AD, soybeans were grown not only in China, but also in Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, and India.

In China around 200 BCE, edamame was first used for medicinal purposes. The Chinese are believed to have introduced edamame to Japan, where it quickly became a staple food.

The oldest evidence of bean cultivation comes from Thailand, where wild varieties of broad beans were gathered and used for food over 9,000 years ago. Other Origins: Broad beans were also cultivated in Afghanistan and the Himalayan foothills. This food source of protein, fiber, and nutrients has been a staple of Asian cuisines for centuries.

Whether in soups, stews, or other dishes, beans remain a versatile and nutritious food source today.