What Is a Kidney Bean? The Five Major Differences from Long Beans Explained at Once

The kidney bean, also known as the common bean, hyacinth bean, or sword bean, is a common legume in China. Because of its high nutritional value, considerable market demand, and its use in making bean paste, bean filling, and pastries, it is deeply loved by people. It is currently sold in markets, and the price is a bit on the expensive side. Sowhat is a kidney bean? What is the difference from a long bean?

1. What is a kidney bean?

1. The kidney bean is a leguminous plant of the order Rosales, family Fabaceae, tribe Phaseoleae, genus Phaseolus. Its stems are either climbing or dwarf, it has multiple heart-shaped leaves, and the pods it bears are round or oblate in cross-section. When young and tender, they vary in color, appearing yellow, green, purplish-red, and so on; when mature, they turn yellowish-white or yellowish-brown. As the pod develops, the pod wall gradually thickens, and the seeds inside are white, red, or red kidney-shaped. When dried, a single one can weigh 300-700g.

2. The kidney bean, whose scientific name is the common bean and which is commonly called the four-season bean or two-season bean, is an edible leguminous plant. Generally, the tender pods can be stir-fried or made into sour long beans, while the mature pods can be used to cook porridge, make bean paste, bean filling, pastries, and so on. In particular, the steamed bean paste buns or bean paste cakes made from it are very delicious, and eating them is highly beneficial to the human body.

3. The kidney bean is also called the sword bean or hyacinth bean, and is divided into white kidney beans, black kidney beans, yellow kidney beans, red kidney beans, and so on. It is rich in protein, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other elements. Every 100g contains 349mg of calcium, which is 7 times that of chicken and 2 times that of soybean. It is very suitable for patients with hypokalemia, heart disease, high blood lipids, arteriosclerosis, and those on a salt-restricted diet.

2. What is the difference between a kidney bean and a long bean?

Although the kidney bean and the long bean are both leguminous plants, the two differ somewhat in appearance and effects. If you do not know how to tell them apart, you can identify them according to the following points:

Difference 1: Different family and genus. The kidney bean is a leguminous plant of the order Rosales, family Fabaceae, tribe Phaseoleae, genus Phaseolus; the long bean is a leguminous plant of the family Fabaceae, tribe Phaseoleae, genus Vigna, species Vigna unguiculata, and is the general term for all bean plants, including sword beans, peas, hyacinth beans, cowpeas, and so on.

Difference 2: Different appearance. The kidney bean is flat, generally as long as a palm, and the seeds inside are kidney-shaped, in colors such as red, white, yellow, black, or mottled patterns; the long bean is slender, long, and round, generally around 70cm, and the seeds inside are long oval, cylindrical, or kidney-shaped, in colors such as dark red, yellowish-white, or other colors.

Difference 3: Different nutritional value. The kidney bean is a leguminous plant high in calcium, potassium, and magnesium and low in sodium, and the calcium it contains is twice that of soybean and 2 times that of chicken; the long bean is rich in vitamins, protein, carotene, calcium, phosphorus, and many other elements.

Difference 4: Different effects. The kidney bean has effects such as lowering blood pressure and boosting immunity, and is very suitable for patients with hypokalemia, heart disease, high blood lipids, arteriosclerosis of the liver, or those on a salt-restricted diet; the long bean has effects such as tonifying the kidneys and strengthening the stomach, aiding sleep, and lowering cholesterol, and is very suitable for patients with high blood lipids, poor sleep quality, high cholesterol, and so on.

Difference 5: Different ways of eating. The kidney bean can be eaten boiled, stir-fried, and can also be made into bean filling, bean paste, bean cakes, and so on; the long bean can be eaten boiled, stir-fried, or served cold with dressing, and can also be made into sour long beans.

In general, the kidney bean is a leguminous plant with round or oblate cross-sections. It can not only be used as a dish but can also be used to make bean paste, bean filling, and so on. Eating it regularly can boost immunity and help prevent high blood lipids, heart disease, and so on. Although it and the long bean are both leguminous plants, the two differ somewhat in family and genus, appearance, and effects, so they are still quite easy to tell apart when buying.