White kidney beans

White kidney beans

　　White kidney beans

　　White kidney beans, also known as large white kidney beans, Jing beans, white beans, or large white beans, are commonly referred to as "Four Seasons White Kidney Beans" among other names. When cooked, their skins burst open like blooming flowers, resembling wisps of white cloud, hence the name "White Cloud Beans." Their shape resembles a chicken’s kidney, which is why they are also called "White Kidney Beans." Legend has it that in ancient times, the Jade Emperor accidentally dropped his jade pendant and tassel ornaments to the mortal world, where they landed and transformed into beans of various colors or with striped and speckled patterns. These eventually gave rise to the famous regional specialties such as white kidney beans, yellow kidney beans, and speckled kidney beans. As a result, they are also honored with the beautiful title of "Fairy Beans."

　　White kidney beans, also known as large white kidney beans, Jing beans, white beans, or large white beans, are commonly referred to as "Four Seasons White Kidney Beans" among other names. When cooked, their skins burst open like blooming flowers, resembling wisps of white cloud, hence the name "White Cloud Beans." Their shape resembles a chicken’s kidney, which is why they are also called "White Kidney Beans." Legend has it that in ancient times, the Jade Emperor accidentally dropped his jade pendant and tassel ornaments to the mortal world, where they landed and transformed into beans of various colors or with striped and speckled patterns. These eventually gave rise to the famous regional specialties such as white kidney beans, yellow kidney beans, and speckled kidney beans. As a result, they are also honored with the beautiful title of "Fairy Beans."

　　White kidney beans are one of China’s ancient and precious edible bean varieties, with a long history of cultivation. In Shanyang, white kidney beans are mostly grown sporadically or intercropped, rarely in large fields. Shanyang white kidney beans are large-grained, thick-kernelled, snow-white and shiny, delicious and high-quality, rich in nutrients, making them a premium bean variety. The beans are twice as large as fava beans, ranking as the largest among all beans. They have long enjoyed an excellent reputation in both domestic and international markets and are an important export bean in our region.

　　According to analysis, white kidney beans contain 19.94% protein—5% to 10% higher than wheat and 12% higher than corn; 2.46% fat—1% higher than wheat; and 65.8% starch—26% higher than potatoes. They also contain a variety of amino acids beneficial to the human body, as well as essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron, along with soluble sugars and carbohydrates. Their vitamin B1 and B2 content are both higher than that of soybeans and wheat. They can be used to make canned foods or eight-treasure porridge, offering delicious and unique flavors. They can also be made into a variety of foods, with bean paste being an excellent filling for stuffed buns. White kidney bean flour makes noodles that are white, fine, glossy, and resilient. White kidney beans are a premium bean variety commonly used in Western cuisine. Locally, people often use them to stew meat, chicken, or pig’s trotters. They hold up well during prolonged cooking but will crack instantly once scooped into a bowl—hence, locals call them "blossoms in the bowl." Due to their large size, bright color, delicious taste, savory broth, and rich nutrition, they are considered festive delicacies and prized gifts. At grand banquets, when combined with other ingredients, Shanyang white kidney beans can be used to create beautifully patterned gourmet dishes that not only enhance the celebratory atmosphere but also delight guests visually before they even taste the food.

　　In folk cuisine, white kidney beans are commonly used to cook porridge or rice, served as a vegetable, and have become a beloved delicacy. They also offer medicinal benefits such as nourishing yin, tonifying kidneys, strengthening the spleen, warming the middle, regulating qi, promoting diuresis, relieving dysentery, aiding digestion, detoxifying, and soothing hiccups, making them an ideal food therapy ingredient. White kidney beans also have a sedative effect and provide certain therapeutic benefits for conditions such as deficiency-cold hiccups, stomach cold vomiting, bruises and injuries, wheezing coughs, back pain, neuralgia, and whooping cough in children. Containing the mineral sodium, white kidney beans are very suitable for people with heart disease, hypertension, and salt-restricted diets.

　　White kidney beans are an annual leguminous (Leguminosae) crop, warm-loving and short-day plants, with a growth cycle of about 75–90 days and requiring approximately 1,500°C of accumulated temperature. They are less demanding on soil conditions compared to other crops and tend to grow better on sloped land or less fertile cultivated fields than other crops. They can be planted alone or intercropped with others, helping to fill cropping gaps, occupying less space, and not competing with major crops for land or growing season. With a high multiple cropping index, they allow for expanded planting under limited land area by leveraging intercropping advantages. Also called "short-season crops," white kidney beans are usually spring-sown from early to mid-April to early May. Summer sowing should follow immediately after wheat harvest—the earlier, the better, but no later than early July. Proper land preparation and fertilization are essential. Apply moderate amounts of farmyard manure before sowing; if unavailable, apply a small amount of phosphate fertilizer at sowing. Practice reasonable planting density, disease prevention and seedling protection, timely weeding, proper harvesting to prevent sprouting and mold, and improve yield and product quality.

　　The export price of white kidney beans is on the rise. Selling at $400–600 per ton, they are highly favored by foreign buyers. By leveraging the advantages of intercropping and strengthening agricultural technical guidance, Shanyang has expanded white kidney bean cultivation, using exports to earn foreign exchange and increase farmers’ income.