Beans: types and varieties

Haricot - one of the oldest cultures. Today it is very widespread.There are about 250 varieties of this crop, and these are only those that are eaten.

Haricot is a thermophilic perennial or annual plant of the Bean family of the Bean family. Its homeland is South America, but today culture is widespread throughout the world (with the exception of Antarctica and the territories of the Far North, perhaps).

In Russia, this culture has been known since the 16th century; it came to us simultaneously from two countries - from Turkey and France. It took about 200 years for beans to turn from a legume of ornamental culture into one that is served at the table. First, the beans were grown to decorate country houses, and only in the XVIII century began to be eaten.

The plant has an upright or climbing stalk height from half a meter to 3-5 meters (depending on the species). The culture is known for its high content of protein, dietary fiber, and also vitamins and trace elements. Its different varieties are suitable for consumption in boiled and stewed forms, are used for freezing and preservation.

Haricot bean has many varieties, each of which is determined by the characteristic that forms the basis of the classification. It is important to understand that the most accurate description of a culture is possible only if it is analyzed from the point of view of all parameters. That is, the information that red beans are in front of you says little, because by the method of cultivation it can be bush and curly, by the characteristics of beans - asparagus and grain, etc.

All existing beans, depending on the origin, are divided into American (Phaseolus L) and Asian (Vigna Savi). The first received wider distribution in the countries of America, Europe, and Russia. American beans have the usual length of the pods (on average 10-12 cm), which are fairly large grains, which have a characteristic "beak".

Asian beans are long pods, which are placed on average 80-100 seeds. The latter are small, painted white. To say that Asian is a bean from the point of view of botany is not entirely fair, but the people consider it that way.

This group is built on the basis of how the bean bush looks.

It is a low, up to 60 cm, bushes that do not require tying. As a rule, this variety is undemanding in care, resistant to slight short-term temperature drops and characterized by early ripening. It is logical that this type of beans is chosen for breeding in farms, as well as cultivated for industrial purposes.

Among the most well-known bush varieties, there are early-ripe beans “Cinderella”, as well as middle-seasoned “Mistress's Dream”, “Strela”, “Purple Queen”.

From the name it is clear that the bushes need a support, grow quite high (up to 5 m), branchy. Usually they are planted near the walls of buildings, fences, where the bushes also perform a decorative function.

The vertical method of growing is ergonomic, and the bushes have good yields. The growing season of this species is longer compared to the same characteristic of the string beans.

Among the most popular - mid-ripening "Violet", "Turk", "Lacemaker". Semi-changing varieties with a bush height of 70–200 cm are also distinguished.

Depending on the method of dyeing the beans may have different shapes and colors. The hue of the beans, as well as features of the forms, entail differences in the nutritional value of the culture and its beneficial properties.

Among the most common colors of beans are the following.

Seeds of white hue contain a high amount of proteins (and therefore are recommended for inclusion in the diet of athletes), iron. Cooks appreciate it for the fact that white beans do not require pre-cooking soaking, because even without it, it is quickly cooked, goes well with vegetables. In turn, white beans have their own subspecies.

• Attention deservest "Black eye"which is correctly attributed to the Ving genus of the legume family. Being close to the bean, it has differences in composition. The pod of the “Black Eye” is thin, and the grains are white, with a small black speck. Outwardly, it resembles a black eye, hence the name of the variety.
• A variation of white is also "Lim" beans, which in appearance resembles a growing moon or tangerine slices. "Lima" has slightly flattened, although quite large grains. It is characterized by a pronounced creamy taste, because of what it is sometimes called oil. This type is especially useful for the cardiovascular system, in addition, it includes a large amount of proteins and fats.
• If the above types of white beans boil quickly, then the variety Chali requires long cooking. Grain beans, white, large, rich in potassium and calcium, and especially popular in Turkey.
• But white beans "Navy"on the contrary, it is distinguished by small grains, in shape and size resembling peas. Round "trifle" is rich in dietary fiber and vitamins. It is appreciated by cooks for fast cooking and pleasant aroma.

The grains have medium size, crescent-shaped and glossy skin of a reddish hue. It can be both light pink and deep burgundy. Delicate oily pulp is hidden behind a dense shell. Such beans are known primarily due to Mexican dishes - there they are used very actively, in addition, they are used for lobio - in the classical recipe this dish is prepared using red beans.

A well-known red bean is Kindi, rich in iron. It has a rich red, burgundy shell, which, when cooked and other high-temperature exposure, becomes lighter. It goes well with vegetables, in addition, with such a tandem, iron is better absorbed in its composition.

The following variety, "Adzuki", is most popular in Asian countries. It belongs to the Vigna family, it is characterized by a sweetish taste, and therefore desserts, sweet pastes are prepared from “Adzuki”, put in a sprouted form in a salad.

This species belongs to the pods, has a delicate purple color, but when cooked it turns into green beans. Among the most popular varieties - vegetable "Purple Queen" and "Blauhilde", as well as grain "Violet".

Beans of bright yellow color, which are both grain and vegetable, bush or curly. Yellow beans do not change their color when cooking, so the dishes with it are not only tasty and healthy, but also attractive and elegant. It is universal in application - it can be boiled, preserved, frozen.

Among the most famous varieties of yellow beans - "Golden Sachs", "Lacemaker", "Oil King".

One of the oldest varieties of green beans. It has small (8-20 cm long) green pods. The form of asparagus green beans - from round to flat. Depending on the variety, the tint of the beans can be either bright green or more muted, with a grayish, yellow or cream shade.

Culture of the kind of Wing, whose birthplace is India. It is especially popular in the national cuisine of Asia. "Mash" has a pleasant nutty flavor, and when consumed does not occur flatulence. It is universal in use, it goes well with meat, fish, seafood, vegetables. Shows the greatest benefit when eating in the germinated form. You can also add it to salads.

Known primarily for the fact that it contains a greater amount of protein than other varieties. At the same time its protein in its properties close to the animal, but much easier to digest.

The grains are medium in size and have a pleasant but oily flesh, hidden by glossy black skin.The taste of black beans is not easy to describe - it is a creamy-creamy combination with a slight bitterness and a sweet aftertaste. During the steeping, black beans produce a pleasant berry aroma.

Grains of such beans have a light skin, on which in a chaotic order there are dots, specks, strokes. Motley color usually appears only in its raw form, and in the process of cooking the beans get a pleasant light shade. The most well-known variety of variegated beans is Pinto. On the light beige, yellowish skin red-maroon stains are applied, which gives the beans a picturesque look.

Kenyan beans - climbing plant, rarely found on the territory of Russia. This is due to the capriciousness of the variety, the complexity of its cultivation.

Speaking of varieties of culture by type of beans, you can also focus on their size. Thus, the large include species, 1000 pieces of beans which weigh at least 400 g. To the average - 200-400 g, to small - no more than 200 g

By appointment, the beans can be divided into decorative and the one that gives the crop, suitable for food. We will not pay much attention to the decorative variety, let us just say that it has an attractive appearance (especially during the flowering period) and is used to decorate the exteriors of houses, organize green walls, and hedges. Some varieties, being decorative, give a good harvest.

Considering the way in which beans are consumed, or rather, its edible parts, it can be divided into vegetable and grain. The latter used to be called rude, only common people fed on it. The aristocracy preferred vegetable beans, which are blades with delicate “dairy” or unripe grains.

In the grain variety, only grains are edible. They have another name - peeled, which is explained by the need to peel the pods. The latter have a wax coating and are stiff. Because they are not eaten, which is not the case with grains. Grains have a high nutritional value, have a pleasant taste and can have many shades.

Among the favorite varieties of gardeners and farm owners can be noted such as "Swallow", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Ballad", "Chocolate Girl".

In the vegetable variety, you can eat not only grains, but also pods. And since the crop is harvested at a time when the grains are not yet ripe, they are practically not felt. Externally, the vegetable is a gentle "tubes", rather, with vegetable rather than bean flavor.

Due to the fact that edible pods turn out to be edible, this type of bean has other names - leguminous, asparagus, sugar.

The possibility of using pods in food is due to the absence of wax on their surface and hard fibers in the composition. Externally, a string bean bush can be found as a bush (variety “Oil King”, “Saksa 615” and “Golden Saks”), and winding (“Mavitanka”).

In this variety it is necessary to distinguish the semi-sugar varieties. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that they can be called vegetables only in the period of immaturity of the pod. As it grows, it acquires a wax coating, and hard fibers appear in the composition. During this period (provided that the grains are ripe), the beans are used as a grain. That is, grains, beans, are expelled from it, and the pod is thrown away.

In central Russia, climatic conditions, of course, are far from subtropical. However, throughout the summer, the temperature is consistently warm, there is a sufficient amount of precipitation, night frosts are extremely rare, so almost all varieties of beans can be grown here. An important point - the variety with a long growing season (and these are all varieties of curling beans) is better to plant seedlings. So will be able to get a crop before the cold snap.

In Siberia and the Urals - regions with a short summer, it is recommended to grow early and mid-season varieties.Here, preference is usually given to bush plants, they enter the open ground in the form of seedlings. Their advantage is not only early ripening, but also the friendly appearance of the crop. Curly culture, as a rule, perform a decorative function.

In the southern regions, in the Caucasus, due to the peculiarities of the climate, all types of beans can be grown. The landing of a winding culture will be especially successful here. Plant a plant can be seeds directly into the ground.

If we talk about certain varieties, the trust of gardeners and farmers is caused by such varieties as “The Oil King”, “Sweet Courage”, “Chocolate Girl”, “Ballada”, “Hostess Dream”, “Saksa without Fiber”, “News”, “ Zinaida.

The “oil king” is an early ripe asparagus variety characterized by high yields. It can be grown in the country in the open field. Refers to the bush species, grows no more than 40-50 cm long.

"Chocolate Girl" tolerates heat, short-term drought, has grains of a pleasant brown-chocolate shade.

“Saks without fiber” is a bush early ripe variety with beans of beautiful lime color. It is characterized by unpretentiousness in care, resistance to characteristic of legumes.

For Siberia, the Urals and the Far East, we can recommend such sugar varieties as "Darina", "Solnechnaya", "Sibiryachka" and grains - "Olive", "Ufimskaya", "Svetlaya".

When you want to get an original and unusual crop, you can recommend varieties "Fashion", "Yin-Yang", "Purple Dream".

Regardless of the region, the crop should be grown in well-lit areas. Covering the plant during the cold period (including overnight) allows you to increase yield. The date of sowing beans is the same as that of cucumbers, as a rule, it is the middle of May for growing in a greenhouse, the end of May and the beginning of June - when planting in the ground. Should be guided by the temperature of air and soil.

Bush crops can be grown from the beginning of May, and then sown until the end of summer, including after harvesting early ripening plants (for example, cucumbers). The important point is that with this method of planting, the bush varieties should have a short growing season.

In addition to climatic conditions, you should consider the specific benefits of a particular bean for the body. So, with anemia it will be useful to cultivate white beans, in addition, it is widely used in diets for weight loss.

Red beans are recommended primarily for people working in hazardous industries. Due to anthocyanins in composition, it removes toxins and poisons from the body, and also has an antioxidant effect.

In the next video, see a great way to grow beans.