Navy Beans

Also known asHaricot Beans · White Beans · Phaseolus vulgaris

Name: Navy beans, also called haricot beans or pea beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) — small, round to oval, white beans with a mild, slightly sweet flavour and a creamy, soft texture. They are the beans traditionally used in baked beans.

Description

Navy beans got their name in the 19th century, when they became a staple food of the United States Navy, because they were cheap, filling and kept well on long voyages. They are native to the Americas, and in Britain and Europe they are known as haricot beans.

They are the standard bean in canned baked beans in tomato sauce, a British breakfast and American barbecue staple, and in Boston baked beans, and are also used in soups, such as navy bean soup. They hold their shape well in slow cooking, and take on the flavour of the sauce.

Main nutrition value

Navy beans are among the highest in fibre of the common beans, and provide plant protein, folate, iron, magnesium and manganese, with little fat.

How best to be consumed

Navy beans are mild, and need long, slow cooking.

1. Soak dried beans in plenty of water for 8 to 12 hours, then drain and rinse, which shortens cooking time and reduces gas.
2. Simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, or bake slowly for several hours with tomato, mustard and molasses.
3. Use in soups, stews, casseroles, salads and dips.
4. Make your own baked beans, to control the sugar and salt.
5. Check canned baked beans for added sugar and salt.

Overconsumption could cause…

Navy beans are healthy in food amounts when cooked.

1. Digestive upset (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) from raw or undercooked beans, which contain natural lectins that cooking destroys, so always boil dried beans thoroughly.
2. Bloating and gas from the fermentable carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) in beans, particularly if you are not used to eating them, so build up gradually and drink water.
3. Reduced absorption of iron, zinc and calcium from the phytates in dried beans, which soaking, sprouting and thorough cooking reduce.
4. Added sugar and salt in canned baked beans, which can make them far less healthy than the plain bean.

GroupsBeansLegume familyHigh fibreHigh proteinLow fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in ironRich in magnesiumRich in potassiumRich in zinc

Related foodsKidney BeansRed BeansRed Kidney BeansBlack-Eyed PeasButter BeansLima Beans

Wikipedia — Navy bean, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_bean