Soybeans, edamame, red beans, black beans and peas, which one is which?

On a sunny evening, our fan group discussed a very profound question:

I don’t know if you are confused or not, but we are.

So the technical guy quickly looked up literature and immersed himself in the world of beans. (When it comes to naming, I really have to admire the breadth and depth of Chinese. There are soy beans, soybeans, edamame, red beans, black beans, peas...)

By the time I finished picking these beans, it was already daybreak and I could finally hand in the answer sheet to everyone!

01 What is soybean?

Although soybeans are a common food, they are described in GB 1352-2009 "Soybeans". We refer to the national standard and make a classification for you:

Not all beans can be classified as "soybeans". According to national standards, the crude protein content of high-protein soybeans is required to be ≥ 40%, and the fat content is required to be ≥ 20%.

In addition to the difference in color, soybean fruits also come in two shapes, oval and spherical, so you may occasionally feel that the beans you buy are a little different.

Of course, these beans look like after they are dried, but what do they look like when they are young?

It’s edamame, yes, the kind that people often eat with beer.

The fresh pods are harvested when they are 80% ripe. Because they have many fine hairs on the skin, they are called edamame.

When edamame matures, it dehydrates, becomes smaller, and harder, becoming soybeans.

Soy protein is a high-quality protein with a nutritional value close to that of meat protein, but soybeans themselves are difficult to cook and digest, and are usually made into soy products for better consumption by people.

02 The rest are mixed beans

All kinds of beans other than soybeans are called miscellaneous beans, such as the common broad beans, peas, mung beans, kidney beans, lentils, cowpeas, chickpeas, etc.

Peas are typical miscellaneous beans. Although they are green and similar in shape to green soybeans, their main component is starch.

The main component of miscellaneous beans is carbohydrates (starch). The starch content is generally more than 50%. The protein content is only half of that of soybeans (about 20%), and the fat content is only about 5%.

So compared to soybeans which have extremely high protein content, these beans can really only be considered miscellaneous beans.

Mixed beans are more suitable as staple food. For example, many families now like to eat mixed grain rice/porridge, which is a healthier way of eating.

03 What is the relationship between snow peas and peas?

Speaking of this, we have to mention snow peas and peas, which are easily confused.

Snow peas are a type of pea that first appeared in southern China near Southeast Asia. Around the 17th century, the Dutch fleet, known as the "coachman of the sea," brought it out of China and spread it abroad.

So it is called snow peas in China and Chinese beans in the Netherlands.

Snow peas are still young, and both the pods and the beans can be eaten. They have a crisp texture. Their name in France is "eat-all pea", which can be understood as "all-edible beans", which is very vivid.

The peas are "old" and the outer part of the pod cannot be eaten, so only the beans inside can be eaten.

We would also like to remind everyone that although snow peas are delicious, remember to make sure they are cooked through.

Because it contains saponins that are harmful to the human body and need high temperatures to be destroyed, if it is not fully fried, it may cause food poisoning.