Beans

There are a number of different types of beans grown by Assured Produce growers. These are green beans , runner beans, and broad beans.

They all belong to a plant family called Leguminosae. This is also known as the pulse and legume family. The legume family has around 17000 species and is the third largest plant family.

It is hard to say when beans were first cultivated, because wild versions were gathered rather than grown. However, fossils of beans have been dated as far back as 9000BC and traces can be found in Switzerland, Peru, Mexico, Thailand, Burma and most of Asia. Cultivated versions have been recorded from the 14th century.

Broad beans are a variety of green bean. The pod is long and flat and the beans are removed from the pod before cooking. They have a distinctive flavour and a smooth creamy texture. The very young pods of broad beans can be eaten whole.

Runner beans are flat in shape, mid to dark green in colour with rough skins. The seeds are small and tender. They have variable levels of curvature. Runner beans are native to Mexico, from the mountains west of Durango.

Green beans should be round in shape, whole, fresh, clean and crisp when snapped. Their colour should be mid to dark green, and they should also be stringless. Green beans are also called dwarf, strike, bobby, round, haricot and vert beans.

Preparation and Use

Broad beans - remove the beans from the pod, snap off one end of the pod and split it open to reveal the beans. Then cook in boiling water for 5-15 minutes until just tender. Serve as an accompanying vegetable adding fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, dill or thyme.

Runner beans - best eaten when they are very fresh. If you have had them in a fridge for a couple of days check for freshness by snapping in half. They should break with a clean snap and the inside should be fresh and juicy. They add great colour and interest as a vegetable accompaniment to a meal.

Green beans - simply top and tail, cut in 2 to 3 cm pieces and either boil, steam or microwave. Sliced as thinly as possible lengthways, runner beans add a great crunch to stir-fries.

Health and Nutrition

5 a Day - 4 heaped tablespoons of beans counts as one portion towards 5 a day.

All beans are a good source of vitamins C and A, folic acid and calcium.

However, broad beans are more rich in vitamin C than any of the other varieties.

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