15 Types of Beans: An In-Depth List
As Latina dietitians, we’re constantly advocating for the health of our cultural foods. One of the most nutrient-dense foods in our culture is beans.
They’re a protein-rich category of veggies that many Americans don’t eat enough, per a 2020 study in Nutrients. Besides plant-based protein, they’re also a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
As Latines, we eat more beans than any other racial or ethnic group in the US, per data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey.
While pinto beans, black beans, and kidney beans are some of the most common types of beans we enjoy in Latin America, there are many more types of beans prevalent in other cultures throughout the world. Below are 15 types of beans and what makes them unique!
Adzuki Beans
Adzuki beans are common in Asian cuisine, particularly East Asia. They’re little red beans that are rich in protein, starch, and antioxidants.
Interestingly, they have a slightly sweet taste so they’re often eaten in sweet dishes. For example, they’re commonly used to make red bean paste, which is used as a filling in East Asian pastries.
Black Beans
Black beans are commonly enjoyed in Latin America. They’re one of the main types of beans I grew up eating with my Dominican and Puerto Rican family. They’re also one of the most popular types of beans in the US.
These beans have a mild flavor that goes great in dishes like rice and beans, salads, veggie burgers, and nachos.
Black-Eyed Peas
Although they’re called black-eyed peas, these are actually a type of bean. As their name suggests, black-eyed peas are small beige beans with a distinct black spot in the middle that looks like an eye.
Black-eyed peas are native to Africa. Through colonization, they became a staple food in the Southern US. In the South, they’re often stewed with ham hocks, veggies, herbs, and spices.
Cannellini Beans
Cannellini beans are large, off-white colored beans popular in Italian cuisine. You may also hear them called white kidney beans. They have a delicious creamy texture that goes great in soups, stews, or pasta dishes. You can use them in most recipes that call for white beans.
Chickpeas
Despite their name, chickpeas are actually a type of bean. They’re also known as Garbanzo beans. These beans are enjoyed throughout the world, including in the Mediterranean region, India, Europe, the United States, and more.
There are a few different varieties of chickpeas. Some are smaller with thick skin and others are larger with thin skin and a creamier texture.
Given how prevalent they are around the globe, there are so many different ways to enjoy chickpeas. They can be used to make hummus, added to salads or wraps, or used to make an Indian style curry.
Edamame
Edamame are green-colored immature soybeans. They’re popular in East Asia, where they’re usually boiled or steamed. To eat them, you have to open the pods to get to the beans inside.
You can find them sold in the pods or shelled, usually in the frozen section of a grocery store. You can also find them roasted to make a crunchy snack or salad topper.
They’re a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t make on their own. This makes them an excellent plant source of protein, especially if you’re vegetarian or vegan.
Fava Beans
Fava beans are also known as broad beans. They come in thick pods that look like green beans (which aren’t actually beans). Similar to chickpeas, these beans are enjoyed throughout the world, including in Asia, Europe, South America, and Africa.
If you purchase fresh fava beans, you’ll usually need to remove the beans from the pod before eating them. You can eat them raw or cooked, and they’re very versatile to cook with.
Dried fava beans can be prepared similarly to other beans. They’re often used to make soup, stew, or salads.
Gigante Beans
If you speak Spanish, you won’t be surprised to learn that gigante beans are huge beans (the word gigante means gigantic in Spanish and Portuguese). They’re a white bean used most often in Greek cuisine.
Gigante beans are often marinated in a blend of herbs, spices, and veggies like onions and tomatoes. You can enjoy them as a salad on their own or eat them on top of toast.
Great Northern Beans
Great Northern beans are another white bean, although they’re much smaller than gigante beans. They can be used in similar recipes as cannellini beans—things like soups, stews, and chilis—to enhance the protein and fiber content.
Kidney Beans
As their name suggests, kidney beans are shaped like a kidney. They’re another popular bean throughout the world, including in the US. They’re often called red beans, although technically the two are not the same.
Kidney beans are often used for chili, but they’re also used to make Louisiana red beans and rice, Indian rajma (kidney bean curry), and Puerto Rican habichuelas guisadas.
Lima Beans
Lima beans are large beans with a mild, buttery flavor that makes them another great bean for stews and soups. Interestingly, they’re named after Lima, Peru because they’re native to Peru.
Although you may picture green-colored beans when you think of lima beans, they can also be white or purple.
Mung Beans
Mung beans are round, green-colored beans that are especially popular in Asia. In fact, they’ve been used in traditional medicine for many years and are now consumed in most Asian households.
Interestingly, mung beans cause less gas than other legumes and their protein is easier to digest, per a 2019 study in Nutrients.
They are used in both sweet and savory dishes including soups, curries, stir-fries, pancakes, and dessert pastes.
Navy Beans
Navy beans are yet another white bean similar in texture and flavor to Great Northern beans and cannellini beans. They originated in Peru thousands of years ago, but they got their name from their use in the US Navy in the 1800’s. They were distributed as rations for sailors on Navy ships.
They are often baked, but you can use them for any recipe that calls for white beans. Often, that includes soups, stews, and salads.
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are another popular bean in Latin America with a mild flavor. They're used to make refried beans in Mexico, and they’re also used in burritos, tacos, and stews.
These beans are tan with brown specks until you cook them and they turn solid pink. Interesting, right?
Soybeans
Soybeans are a popular plant-based protein used to make soy protein powder, tofu, tempeh, soymilk, soy sauce, and more. They’re also used to make edamame.
Just like edamame, soybeans are a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids. This makes them a great option for people wanting to eat more plant protein and less meat without sacrificing protein quality.
What is the Healthiest Bean?
There is no one type of bean that’s outright healthier than others. All beans are good sources of fiber, protein, and micronutrients like iron and potassium. Rather than focusing on which bean is healthiest, it’s worth considering how you can add more beans in general to your diet.
If you love black beans, great! If you want to experiment with different types of beans, go for it! Eating more of any type of bean can promote your overall health including heart health, metabolic health, and gut health, per a 2021 study in Nutrients.
For more information on how beans can support your health, check out our blog on the health benefits of beans.
Final Thoughts
Beans are a nutrient-dense food group. They’re full of plant protein, fiber, folate, iron, and more, which support overall health. As you can see from reading this article, there are so many different types of beans, so the options are endless for how to incorporate more of them in your diet.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
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