Bean-tastic Voyage: Top 11 Amazing Fun Facts You Never Knew About Beans

1. Beans: Masters of Disguise

Don't be-leaf everything you hear: beans have been pulling the legume over our eyes, masquerading as vegetables or fruits when they are, in fact, legumes – those sneaky seed-producers in the pod-gang, like peas and lentils!
Source => fluther.com

2. A Legume Love Story

Beans: nature's smarty pants, always legumin' it up and "stalking" their way into our hearts and diets: Aside from being the ultimate superfood, these nutritious nuggets tout an ideal mix of protein, complex carbs, and fat, plus an impressive fiber content while flexing their nutrient-rich muscles, dating back to being among the first cultivated crops over 7000 years ago.
Source => kelleybean.com

Did you know that pinto beans hold the title of the most consumed bean in the US and reign supreme in the kingdom of legumes? Discover their delicious secret and their role in a famous dish! 🌟👑🥘

=> Fun Facts about Pinto-Beans

3. Pope's Haricot Beans

Bean me up, Scotty: Contrary to popular bean-lief, it wasn't Christopher Columbus himself who introduced haricot beans to Europe, but rather an Italian priest who received the leguminous gift from Pope Clement VII during the Age of Discovery, marking a new era for Western cuisine and satisfying the European appetite for all things exotic.
Source => feed.jeronimomartins.com

4. The Longevity Bean

Beans, beans, good for your heart, and maybe even a longer life to impart: A study of elderly folks from Japan, Sweden, Greece, and Australia showed that those who indulged in more legumes had a lower risk of kicking the bucket, boasting a 7-8% reduction in mortality hazard ratio for every 20g uptick in daily bean consumption. Get those beans on your plate and let the extra years accumulate!
Source => pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

5. Bean Cupid for Soil Matchmaking

Beans: the ultimate soil matchmakers, pairing up legumes with bacteria in a nutrient-swapping love affair that boosts soil fertility for future generations of plants: This power couple of the dirt world owes their thriving relationship to nitrogen fixation, a process where soil-dwelling bacteria feed gaseous nitrogen to legumes, which then supply carbs right back to the bacteria. To truly maximize this match made in heaven, one might need to play bean Cupid by inoculating legume seeds with some store-bought rhizobium, as the naturally occurring rhizobacteria bachelors in the soil might not be enough to go around. Just double-check those labels to make sure you're setting up the right rhizobacteria with the legume of their dreams.
Source => tilthalliance.org

6. Mars: Bean-tential Galactic Garden

If Martian dirt had a dating profile, it'd say, "Likes long walks near acidic rivers, bleeds red but has a soft grey side, and is mad about asparagus – potatoes, not so much": This revelation comes courtesy of NASA's Curiosity rover, which found that the soil on Mars contains nitrates and moisture, hinting at the potential for past life forms. While potatoes might struggle to find their happily-ever-after, asparagus and some other plant species could have a budding romance on the Red Planet. However, much like online dating, Earth-based science labs must first investigate the soil's true compatibility with life.
Source => space.com

7. Posh Vanilla Beans

If beans had VIP sections at swanky parties, vanilla beans would be mingling with the high rollers, sipping champagne, and whispering about their lavish lifestyle: This exclusive bean thrives in warm, humid conditions, native to Mexico, and demands to be pampered with daily sunlight, supportive trellises, and a consistent watering schedule - refusing to grow at all if the temperature dips below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Source => housedigest.com

8. Ninja Camouflage Beans

Where's Waldo? More like, where's the legume! Hidden in plain sight, the Acmispon wrangelianus bean employs the ninja-like art of camouflage to keep seed predators guessing: This annual legume's seeds vary in color from shades of gray to brown, dependent on the specific soil environment and the presence of sneaky seed predators, allowing them to blend in with their native serpentine or non-serpentine soil type and evade the grasp of hungry birds.
Source => nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

9. Crispy Conquerors: Bean Snacks

Beans, beans, the musical fruit – but did you know they can outshine corn in the snack food department too? United in crispy harmony: Bean-based tortilla chips boast higher levels of protein, fiber, and iron compared to their corn-based rivals, making them a more nutritious option for health-conscious snackers. Plus, dried and seasoned beans are rising in popularity as a wholesome alternative to salty munchies while bean flours reign supreme as a gluten-free protein powerhouse.
Source => croptrust.org

10. Ice Cool Beans

They say variety is the spice of life, but what's cooler than being cool? Beans! Ice cool beans are not just a quirky expression, but a reality for some legume varieties: Fava beans, yard-long beans, black-eyed peas, and cowpeas can grow in cooler climates and sandy soils, adapting perfectly to mother nature's chill factor while providing a frosty twist to your garden patch.
Source => extension.umn.edu

11. Jefferson's Scarlet Bean-ty

Before Thomas Jefferson "bean" an early Pinterest gardener, striving to attract those feisty feathered flappers of humming happiness, he gave the spotlight to a beauty queen with a scarlet secret: Scarlet Runner Beans were planted by Jefferson in his Monticello garden in 1812 not for their edible beans, but for their red carpet-worthy scarlet blooms. Though origina-bean-ally intended as garden couture, these tasty beans strut their way into Europe, serving both sumptuous spreads and hummingbird haven.
Source => monticelloshop.org