Pinto bean

The pinto bean (/ˈpɪntoʊ/) is a variety of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). In Spanish they are called frijol pinto [fri.ˈxol ˈpin.to], literally "speckled bean" (compare pinto horse). It is the most popular bean in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States,[1] and is most often eaten whole (sometimes in broth), or mashed and then refried. Either way, it is a common filling for burritos in Mexican cuisine, or as a side dish in New Mexican cuisine.

Beans, pinto, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt

Nutritional value per 100 g
Energy	598 kJ (143 kcal)
Carbohydrates	26.22
Sugars	0.34
Dietary fiber	9.0
Fat	0.65
Saturated	0.109
Monounsaturated	0.106
Polyunsaturated	0.188
Protein	9.01
Vitamins	Quantity %DV^†
Vitamin A equiv.	0% 0 μg
Vitamin A	0 IU
Thiamine (B1)	17% 0.193 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	5% 0.062 mg
Niacin (B3)	2% 0.318 mg
Vitamin B6	18% 0.229 mg
Folate (B9)	43% 172 μg
Vitamin C	1% 0.8 mg
Vitamin D	0% 0 μg
Vitamin D	0% 0 IU
Vitamin E	6% 0.94 mg
Vitamin K	3% 3.5 μg
Minerals	Quantity %DV^†
Calcium	5% 46 mg
Iron	16% 2.09 mg
Magnesium	14% 50 mg
Phosphorus	21% 147 mg
Potassium	9% 436 mg
Sodium	16% 238 mg
Zinc	10% 0.98 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	62.95 g
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units
^†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

In South America, it is known as the poroto frutilla, literally "strawberry bean". In Portuguese, the Brazilian name is feijão carioca (literally "carioca bean"; contrary to popular belief, the beans were not named after Rio de Janeiro, but after a pig breed that has the same color as the legume)[2], which differs from the name in Portugal: feijão catarino. Additionally, the young immature pods may be harvested and cooked as green pinto beans. There are a number of different varieties of pinto bean, notably some originating from Northern Spain, where an annual fair is dedicated to the bean.

Use

The dried pinto bean is the bean commonly used reconstituted or canned in many dishes, especially refried beans. It is popular in chili con carne, although kidney beans, black beans, and many others may be used in other locales.

Pinto beans are found in Brazilian cuisine. Legumes, mainly the common bean, are a staple food everywhere in the country, cultivated since 3000 BC, along with starch-rich foods, such as rice, manioc, pasta, and other wheat-based products, polenta and other corn-based products, potatoes and yams. Pinto beans are also a very important ingredient in Mexican cuisine.

In the Southern United States, pinto beans were once a staple, especially during the winter months. Some organizations and churches in rural areas still sponsor "pinto bean suppers" for social gatherings and fund raisers.

Varieties

Alubia pinta alavesa, a red pinto bean native to Añana, Spain

Pinto bean varieties include: 'Burke', 'Hidatsa', and 'Othello'.

The alubia pinta alavesa, or the "Alavese pinto bean", a red variety of the pinto bean, originated in Añana,[3] a town and municipality located in the province of Álava, in the Basque Country of northern Spain. In October, the Feria de la alubia pinta alavesa (Alavese pinto bean fair) is celebrated in Pobes.[4]

Cooking

Pinto beans are often soaked, which greatly shortens cooking time. If unsoaked, they are frequently boiled rapidly for 10 minutes. They will then generally take two to three hours to cook on a stove to soften. In a pressure cooker they will cook very rapidly, perhaps 3 minutes if soaked, and 20-45 minutes if unsoaked. Cooking times vary considerably however and may depend on the source of the bean, hardness of the cooking water and many other factors.

Nutrition

A nutrient-dense legume, the pinto bean contains many essential nutrients. It is a good source of protein, phosphorus and manganese, and very high in dietary fiber and folate.[5]

Rice and pinto beans served with cornbread or corn tortillas are often a staple meal where meat is unavailable. This combination contains the essential amino acids necessary for humans in adequate amounts[6]: corn complements beans' relative scarcity of methionine and cystine and beans complement corn's relative scarcity of lysine and tryptophan.[7]

Studies have indicated pinto beans can lower the levels of both HDL and LDL cholesterol.[8][9] Pinto beans have also been shown to contain the phytoestrogen coumestrol, which has a variety of possible health effects.[10]

See also

• Gallo pinto

References

1. "Maize 2003 CGC Meeting". Ars-grin.gov. Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
2. Quero, João (2016-06-24). "Por que feijão se chama carioca se não é o mais consumido no RJ?". G1 - Agronegócios (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2019-08-07.
3. Recetas para acordarse de sabores perdidos: "Añana. Es el origen de la alubia pinta alavesa y, como tal, esta legumbre pesa en su cocina. Ya sea en cocido, crema o sopa. El queso Idiazábal o el conejo son otros de sus manjares." (Spanish)
4. Algunas de las ferias tradicionales en Euskadi: "La Feria de la alubia pinta alavesa, que se celebra en octubre en la localidad de Pobes." (Spanish)
5. "Beans, pinto, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt". Nutrition Facts. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
6. Essential Amino Acids. phy-astr.gsu.edu: "Tillery points out that a number of popular ethnic foods involve such a combination, so that in a single dish, one might hope to get the ten essential amino acids. Mexican corn and beans, Japanese rice and soybeans, and Cajun red beans and rice are examples of such fortuitous combinations."
7. Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations (1992). "Chapter 8 - Improvement of maize diets". Maize in human nutrition.
8. "Pinto bean consumption changes SCFA profiles in fecal fermentations, bacterial populations of the lower bowel, and lipid profiles in blood of humans". J. Nutr. 137 (11): 2391–8. November 2007. PMID 17951475.
9. "Pinto Bean Consumption Reduces Biomarkers for Heart Disease Risk". Jacn.org. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
10. Bhagwat, Seema; Haytowitz, David; Holden, Joanne (September 2008). USDA Database for the Isoflavone Content of Selected Foods (PDF) (Release 2.0 ed.). Beltsville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 10 March 2015.

External links

• Media related to Phaseolus vulgaris seeds at Wikimedia Commons
• Pinto Bean at Wikibook Cookbooks