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Bean

a term loosely applied to any legume whose seeds or pods are eaten, and which is not classed separately as a pea or lentil.

The nutritional and agricultural advantages of beans and other legumes are discussed under legumes. See also dal; gram; pulse; and (for what is perhaps the single most famous bean dish) ful medames.

Beans have a good reputation. The English expression ‘full of beans’ means ‘in an energetic, cheerful mood’. There is a corresponding Portuguese phrase: cheio de feijão.

Most beans familiar in the West were formerly classified in the genus Phaseolus, which is named on account of the shape of the pods it bears, to suggest a swift sailing boat; but many of these species have now been assigned to the genus Vigna.

Since the common names of beans are often confusing, the following table is provided to show what botanical species there are and what common names are usually applied to them (with headwords of other entries in bold type as usual).

• Phaseolus acutifolius. tepary bean, dinawa.
• P. coccineus. runner bean, scarlet bean.
• P. lunatus. lima bean, sieva bean, Madagascar bean, butter bean.
• P. vulgaris. haricot bean, kidney bean, cannellini, French bean, navy bean, black bean, pinto bean, snap bean, common bean, frijol, chumbinho, opoca.
• Vigna aconitifolia. moth bean
• V. angularis. azuki bean, feijao, adsuki. V. mungo. urd, black gram.
• V. radiata. mung bean, green gram, golden gram.
• V. umbellata var umbellata. rice bean, frijol arroz.
• V. unguiculata (formerly sinensis). cowpea, black-eyed pea (or, sometimes, black-eyed bean).
• V. unguiculata ssp sesquipedalis. Asparagus bean, yard-long bean, dow gauk.

Bean species in other genera are:

• Bauhinia spp. tree bean.
• Canavalia ensiformis. jack bean, sword bean, chickasaw lima, feijão de porco, haba de burro.
• Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. cluster bean, guar.
• Vicia faba. broad bean, fava bean, haba, fève.
• Glycine max. soya bean.
• Lablab purpureus ssp purpureus. lablab bean, hyacinth bean, bonavist bean, field bean, Indian butter bean, Egyptian kidney bean, seme, louvia, frijoles caballeros.
• Macrotyloma uniflorum. horse gram, Madras gram.
• Mucuna spp. velvet bean.
• Pachyrhizus tuberosus. yam bean, jicama, potato bean, Mexican water chestnut, saa got.
• Psophocarpus tetragonolobus. winged bean, Goa bean, asparagus pea.

For bean products see: black beans; gum; kecap; miso (bean paste or sauce); natto; soy sauce; tempe; tofu (bean curd).

Coffee ‘beans’ are not beans: they are the twin stones of a fruit. Vanilla ‘beans’ or pods are the fruit of an orchid rather than a legume. Locust ‘bean’ refers to carob.

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