Navy beans and other dried beans are known as Phaseolus vulgaris and are referred to as “common beans” because they all come from a common bean ancestor that originated in Peru.
Navy beans were enjoyed for centuries by the Mandan people of modern-day North Dakota. The plants will typically grow to around 2′ tall, producing many 5” pods that will yield 5 or 6 seeds each.
Navy Beans have been successfully grown in Australia under irrigation and dry land conditions in mixtures of sands and loams for over 50 years. With the release of the Arwon variety, this brought about a resurgence of growers.
The beans, which go by many names – haricot, navy, or phaseolus vulgaris – are all imported, mostly from North America, as they cannot grow in Britain.
Haricot
Haricot. These beans are probably best known covered in tomato sauce and called ‘Baked Beans’. They are small, oval, creamy coloured beans, which if purchased dried, must be soaked and cooked prior to use. Haricot beans are also known as navy beans because of their extensive use at sea during the 19th century.
Navy (Pea) Beans
Also called pea beans, Navy beans are small, oval-shaped, and quick-cooking.
According to the FDA, many beans can be toxic if consumed raw or undercooked, including black, great Northern, kidney, and navy beans.
Great northern beans are large, oval, and have a thin skin. In comparison, navy beans are much smaller, plumper, and have thicker skin. The flavors of great northern and navy beans are both delicate and mild. It’s difficult to distinguish between them by flavor alone.
Also called “white pea” or alubias chica in Spanish, the navy bean is a variety of common bean, which originated in Peru several thousand years ago.
It was coined because the US Navy has served the beans as a staple to its sailors since the mid-1800s. Most Australians know these beans as the familiar “baked bean“.
As you have probably guessed, small white beans are a type of bean. They are also sometimes referred to as navy beans, but they are not blue. Instead, they are white as their name would suggest.
Navy Beans are small, oval-shaped beans with white skin. They have a mild, delicate flavor. These are the beans used for the famous Boston Baked Beans. These white beans were named Navy Beans because of their inclusion in the U.S. Naval diet during the second half of the 19th Century.
What beans do UK farmers grow?
Britain grows about 400,000 tonnes of pulses a year, a high proportion of which are field beans (Vicia faba), also known as fava beans, and it is one of the biggest fava bean exporters globally, mainly exporting to Egypt and Japan. The UK’s other main pulse crops are marrowfat peas and large blue peas.
Navy beans are a rich source of many important micronutrients, including folate, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. One serving of navy beans also supplies approximately 16% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for potassium,7 a mineral required for proper body function.
Which beans do Heinz use?
Beans – navy beans / haricot beans (same thing) are used by Heinz.
What kind of beans do the British eat for breakfast?
Navy beans are called haricot beans in England and also go by names such as Boston beans and white pea beans. Baked beans on toast is often served for breakfast as a part of a fry up (the British term for a Cooked English Breakfast).
What is the healthiest bean to eat?
- Chickpeas. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are a great source of fiber and protein.
- Lentils. Lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein and can be a good addition to soups and stews.
- Peas. Peas are also a type of legume.
- Kidney beans.
- Black beans.
- Soybeans.
- Pinto beans.
- Navy beans.
Best navy beans substitute options
- Great Northern Beans. Great northern beans are a great way to substitute for navy beans in a recipe.
- Canellini beans. You can also use canellini beans as a replacement for navy beans.
- Butter beans.
- Flageolet beans.
- Red kidney beans.
- Black beans.
- Pinto beans.
- Mayocoba beans.
Health Benefits of Navy Beans
- May Improve Memory and Cognition.
- May Have Anticancer Potential.
- May Improve Heart Health.
- May Aid With Diabetes Prevention.
- May Lead to Improved Digestion.
- May Have Antioxidant Properties.
- May Aid in Growth and Repair.
- May Lead to Better Blood Circulation.
What beans should not be cooked in a slow cooker?
Never Make This One Popular Food in Your Slow Cooker, FDA Warns
- Never cook beans in your slow cooker without prepping them first.
- Red kidney beans have the highest concentration of lectins, so it’s especially important to prepare them properly.
Why do you discard bean soaking water?
Finally, soaking beans helps them to cook up in about half the time. So after the beans have soaked for a while, the soaking water now contains these elements that you are trying to eliminate by soaking the beans in the first place. And this is why the bean water is discarded.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.