Contents

Navy bean

Phaseolus vulgaris

1,468 kJ (351 kcal)

3.88 g

4.3 g

The navy bean, haricot bean, pearl haricot bean,^[3] Boston bean,^[4] white pea bean,^[5]orpea bean^[6] is a variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) native to the Americas, where it was first domesticated.^[7] It is a dry white bean that is smaller than many other types of white beans, and has an oval, slightly flattened shape.^[3] It features in such dishes as baked beans,^[3] various soups such as Senate bean soup,^[8] and bean pies.

The green bean plants^[4] that produce navy beans may be either of the bush type or vining type, depending on which cultivar they are.^[9]

History[edit]

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.^[10]

InAustralia, 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.^[10] Kingaroy is known as the Baked Bean Capital of Australia.^[10] Another popular name for the bean during this time was "the Yankee bean".^[10]

Cultivars[edit]

Navy bean cultivars include:

• "Rainy River"^[11]
• "Robust", resistant to the bean common mosaic virus (BCMV),^[12] which is transmitted through seeds^[11]
• Michelite, descended from 'Robust', but with higher yields and better seed quality^[11]
• Sanilac, the first bush navy bean cultivar^[11]

Nutritional value[edit]

White beans are the most abundant plant-based source of phosphatidylserine (PS) currently known.^[13] It contains notably high levels of apigenin, 452±192 μg/kg, which vary widely among legumes.^[14]

Consumption of baked beans has been shown to lower total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.^[15][16] 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.^[17] Furthermore, navy beans are the richest source of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid among the common bean varieties.^[18]

Storage and safety[edit]

Dried and canned beans stay fresh longer by storing them in a pantry or other cool, dark place under 75 °F (24 °C). 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.^[19]

References[edit]