Beans offer a bounty of benefits, and with more than 40,000 types of beans to choose from, there’s a bean for everyone! They’re cultivated all over the world, so wherever you are, you can bet you’ll find a bean for your next breakfast burrito. They’re also incredibly sustainable for the world to grow and consume!

Beans are some of the longest cultivated crops in existence and there isn’t a culture across in the world that doesn’t have some type of bean in their dietary rotation. These agricultural globetrotters can easily be grown in your backyard garden, too! They’re dependable and durable, and can be stored dry for months or years, so they’re great to keep stocked up long-term.

Beans are a great choice for environmentally-conscious consumers. They’re a remarkably sustainable crop because of their reduced need for fertilizers, which helps lessen greenhouse gas emissions. When they grow, beans add nitrogen back into the soil and take fewer resources to produce than animal-based protein sources. They’re also extremely economical, so you can buy a bounty of beans without breaking the bank.

Every variety of bean is an excellent source of protein, which means they help you keep your body in balance and are essential for healthy bones, hair, muscles, skin, and blood. They’re also high in fiber -- there’s nothing they can’t do! That’s a pretty impressive culinary resume.

So what does this all mean for you? Well, beans are a fantastic plant-based substitute for meat in dishes like chilis, soups, and dips. But beans don’t need to feature in savory foods only -- they’re great additions to recipes that cater to your sweet tooth, too, like this coco-bean smoothie or white bean coffee cake.

If you don’t feel like cooking, grab one of our brown rice and beans super salads to get your fix of beans!

The Beauty of Beans