How to Buy Dry Beans, Peas and Lentils 1970-- Consumer and Marketing Service Home and Garden Bulletin 177, USDA, 1970. 12 pages Issued June 1970 Archive copy of publication, do not use for current recommendations. The PDF file was provided courtesy of the National Agricultural Library. Scroll down to view the publication.

Agricultural Network Information Center

Reserve/A:

DRY BEANS,PEAS, andLENTILS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

How to BuyDRV BEANS,PEAS, andLENTILS

Dry beans, peas, and lentils—delicious, nutri-tious, low-cost foods that can be served in so manyways. But how much do you really know aboutthese foods? For example, what is a lentil? What isthe difference between black-eye peas and black-eye beans? What quality factors should you bearin mind when buying beans, peas, and lentils? Howdo you store and prepare them? Which need soak-ing and which do not before cooking? What are thevarieties of beans and peas available? These aresome of the factors a smart shopper should con-sider when buying these products.

Dry beans, and their close cousins, dry peasand lentils, are food bargains. They are an excellentsource of protein—in fact, dry beans provide moreprotein for your money than most other foods. Andthe protein derived from these foods, when com-bined with protein from meats and other foods ofanimal origin, makes an unbeatable "protein team"which the body needs to build and repair vital or-gans and tissues.

Dry beans, peas, and lentils provide a wealth ofenergy and nutrition at a cost per pound that isnominal. They contain B vitamins, such as thiamin,and riboflavin, and some are a good source of cal-cium. They are real nuggets of mineral value forthe iron they provide—a % Cup serving of driedbeans or dry peas, for example, provides about athird of the iron recommended daily for an adultmale.

The dry bean sometimes is considered a build-ing food, an energy food, and to some extent a pro-tective food. Peas and lentils also fall into thesesame categories, and since their fat content is lowthey are useful in some special diets.

A £up> of cooked dried red beans provides about230 calories and the following percentages ofthe mmirrtum' daily recommended allowances for

••adults:' , '- '\ • - ' / . , , ; ;'' -'/,.. /; / -;

Nutrient Women Men(22-35 yrs,) (22-35 yrs.)

Profein 27% : 23%Iron 26% 46%Thiamm 13% 9%mbdffavin V 7% 6%

A ciip of dry split peas (cooked) provides about290 oa lories and the folldwing percentages ofthe tTiinlmurri daily recommended allowances for' " ' '

Nutrient Women Men<22-35 yrs,) (22-35 yrs.)

Profein 36% 31%imrt : : 23% 42%THiairyin ) • 37% 26%mboflavm 15% 13%

BUYING TIPSAlthough there are many varieties of dry beans,

peas, and lentils available in the stores, the follow-ing buyingtipsapplyforall of them:

• Federal-State Grades—Nearly all peas andlentils and about one-third of all beans are officiallyinspected before or after processing. However, re-tail packages of beans, peas, or lentils seldom carrythe Federal or State grade.

Developed by the U.S. Department of Agricul-ture's Consumer and Marketing Service, Federalgrades for beans, peas, and lentils are generallybased on the following factors: shape, size, color,

damage, and foreign material. The more uniformthe color and size of the product, the higher theFederal grade will be. Beans, peas, and lentils inthe lower grades usually contain more foreignmatter and more kernels of uneven size and off-color. Lower qualities are not usually sold throughretail stores.

The Federal grades for beans, peas, and lentilsyou may see on the grocery shelf are normally thehighest grades. Some of these higher grades are:

U.S. No. 1—for dry whole or split peas, lentils,and black-eye peas (beans).

U.S. No. 1 Choice Handpicked, orHandpicked—for Great Northern, pinto, and pea beans.

U.S. Extra No. 1 for lima beans, large or small.Instead of the Federal grade on beans, you might

find a State grade which is based on quality factorssimilar to those for Federal grades.

• Quality factors—If you do not find packagesof beans, peas, or lentils marked with Federal orState grades, you can be your own "grader" in away by looking for the same factors a Federalgrader considers.

First, try to buy your beans, peas, or lentils incellophane bags or other "see through" types ofpackages, such as cardboard boxes with a cello-phane "window." Then, consider these factors:

Brightness of color—Beans, peas, and lentilsshould have a bright uniform color. Loss of colorusually indicates long storage, lack of freshness,and a product that will take longer to cook. Eatingquality, however, is not affected.

Uniformity of size—Look for beans, peas, orlentils of uniform size. Mixed sizes will result inuneven cooking, since smaller beans cook fasterthan larger ones.

Visible defects—Cracked seed coats, foreignmaterial, and pinholes caused by insect damageare signs of a low quality product.

• Read the label—In addition to the Federalor State grade, the package label can provide otherimportant buying information. By law, the labelmust contain at least the following basic informa-tion: the name and address of the manufacturer,packer, or distributor, the common or usual nameof the product (pea beans, Great Northern beans,etc.), and the weight (given in pounds and ounces).

Other information on the label might include apicture of a suggested way to serve beans, peas, orlentils, and instructions on how to prepare andserve them, including recipes.

BRAND NAME

COMMON NAMEOF PRODUCT

SERVING INSTRUCTIONS& RECIPES (OPTIONAL)\NAME ANDADDRESS OFMANUFACTURER'

NET WEIGHT-

"\

ninlsdiii In iiscomli inlcsnnlm Imnclms scnhm cini

iKsmllin ol ociihin

>li inlcsn nscomii Imoc oinlsclin

In summary, look for beans, peas, and lentils incellophane or other clear packages which carry aFederal or State grade. If you can't find gradedpackages, look for a product with a bright color,beans of uniform size, and no visible damage. Readthe label carefully—it may give you important in-structions for preparing the product.

STORAGE TIPSDry beans, peas, and lentils should be kept in

tightly covered containers and stored in a dry, coolplace (50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit). Stored in thismanner, they will keep their quality for severalmonths.

After opening a package, don't mix the contentswith that of other packages bought at separatetimes, particularly several months apart. Mixingpackages will result in uneven cooking since olderbeans take longer to cook than fresher ones. Keepthe product in the original package until opened.Then store it in a glass or metal jar or a containerwith a tight-fitting lid.

Large Lima Beans

U.S.No. 1

Green Split Peas

T.

U.S.No. 1

Lentils

The above samples are representative of

U.S.No. 1

U.S.No. 1

U.S.No. 1

Light Red Kidney Beans

Pinto Beans

Black-eye Beans (Peas)

superior grade beans, peas, and lentils.

PREPARATION TIPS

• Wash beans, peas, and lentils first.

• Dry beans and whole peas should be soakedbefore cooking to reduce the time required forcooking. Split peas used in soup and lentils may beboiled without soaking. Split peas used for otherpurposes hold their shape better if soaked for ashort time.

• A quick and effective way to soak beans andwhole peas is to start by boiling them in water fortwo minutes. Remove from heat, soak one hour,and they are ready to cook. Soak split peas only!/2 hour before cooking them.

• If beans or peas are to be soaked overnight,it is still advantageous to start with the two minuteboil because this will mean fewer hard skins. If thebeans or peas are to be soaked overnight in a warmroom, the brief boil will keep them from souring.

• A teaspoon of salt for each cup of dry beans,peas, or lentils will suit the average taste. For spe-cial flavor, add onions, herbs, or meat. Add saltand flavoring only after soaking since salt tough-ens the surface of the beans and increases cookingtime.

• Boil gently and stir very little in order to pre-vent breaking of skins.

• If preferred, some dry beans and peas—in-cluding Great Northern, kidney, large lima, black,cranberry, pea (navy), and pinto beans and wholepeas—can be pressure cooked in from 3-10 min-utes, depending on variety. Fill pressure cookerno more than one-third full of food and water toallow for expansion. Beans and peas which nor-mally cook in short periods of time should not bepressure-cooked. These include black-eye peas(beans), lentils, and split peas.

• Always remember to allow for expansion ofbeans, peas, and lentils when cooking. For ex-ample, depending on the kind, one cup of the driedbeans yields 2 to 2% cups of cooked beans.

The following specific information about beans,peas, and lentils should help you decide whichproduct to buy.

8

BEANS

Beans are among the oldest of foods and todayare considered an important staple for millionsof people.

They once were considered to be worth theirweight in gold—the jeweler's "carat" owes itsorigin to a pea-like bean on the east coast of Africa.

Beans also once figured very prominently inpolitics. During the age of the Romans, ballotingwas done with beans. White beans represented avote of approval and the dark beans meant a nega-tive vote. Today, beans still play an active role inpolitics—bean soup is a daily "must" in both theSenate and the House dining rooms in the Nation'sCapitol.

Beans undergo rather extensive processing be-fore reaching the consumer. They are deliveredto huge processing plants where they are cleanedto remove pods, stems, and other debris. Specialmachines separate debris by weight (gravity), andthen screen the beans by size. Discolored beansare removed by machines equipped with photo-sensitive electric eyes.

Many varieties of beans may be found on thegrocery shelf. Although you will not find all of them,here are some of the more popular varieties, andtheir uses:

• Black beans (or black turtle soup beans)—They are used in thick soups and in Oriental andMediterranean dishes.

• Black-eye peas (also called black-eyebeans or "cow peas")—These beans are small,oval-shaped, and creamish white with a black spoton one side. They are used primarily as a main dishvegetable. Black-eye peas are beans. There is nodifference in the product, but different names areused in some regions of the country.

• Garbanzo beans—Known as "chick-peas,"these beans are nut-flavored and commonlypickled in vinegar and oil for salads. They can alsobe used as a main dish vegetable, in the "un-pickled" form. Similar beans are cranberry andyellow-eye beans.

• Great Northern beans—Larger than but simi-lar to pea beans, these beans are used in soups,salads, casserole dishes, and home baked beans.

• Kidney beans—These beans are large andhave a red color and kidney shape. They are popu-lar for chili con carne and add zest to salads andmany Mexican dishes.

• Lima beans—Not widely known as dry beans,lima beans make an excellent main dish vegetableand can be used in casseroles. They are broad andflat. Lima beans come in different sizes, but thesize does not affect the quality.

• Navy beans—This is a broad term which in-cludes Great Northern, pea, flat small white, andsmall white beans.

• Pea beans—-Small, oval, and white, peabeans are a favorite for home baked beans, soups,and casseroles. They hold their shape even whencooked tender.

• Pinto beans—-These beans are of the samespecies as the kidney and red beans. Beige-coloredand speckled, they are used mainly in salads andchili.

• Red and pink beans—Pink beans have amore delicate flavor than red beans. Both are usedin many Mexican dishes and chili. They are re-lated to the kidney bean.

PEASDry peas are an interesting and versatile food

group that add variety to meals. Dry peas may begreen or yellow and may be bought either split orwhole.

• Green dry peas—This type of dry pea has amore distinct flavor than yellow dry peas. Greendry peas enjoy their greatest popularity in theUnited States, England, and North Europeancountries and are gaining in popularity in Japan.

• Yellow dry peas—This type of dry pea has aless pronounced flavor than other types of peasbut is in popular demand in the Southern andEastern parts of the country. They are also pre-ferred in Eastern Canada, the Caribbean, andSouth America.• Dry split peas—These peas have had their

skins removed and they are mainly used for splitpea soup. Dry split peas also combine well withmany different foods. How do split peas get split?

10

Specially grown whole peas are dried and theirskins are removed by a special machine. A secondmachine then breaks the peas in half.

• Dry whole peas—These peas are used inmaking soups, casseroles, puddings, vegetableside dishes, dips, and hors d'oeuvres.

Green and yellow whole peas and green andyellow split peas, although they vary in taste alittle, are used interchangeably in many recipesand in making soups. Individual preference is thedeciding factor here. Remember, though, there isa difference in soaking procedure for whole andsplit peas.

Dry peas are served in many ways—"just plainboiled" and served with butter, for example, theyserve as a welcome dish with meats, fish, poultry,and game. They can also be served as a puree andthey can be made into dips, patties, croquettes,stuffed peppers, and even souffles.

LENTILSThe lentil is an old world legume, that is disc-

shaped, about the size of a pea. Thousands of yearsold, lentils were perhaps the first of the conven-ience foods. With no coddling at all, they cook topuffed tenderness in a mere half hour. With sucha short cooking time, the use of a pressure cookeris not advised. If the cooked lentils are to bedrained, as in making salad, save the cookingliquid (which is loaded with nutrients) for a cupof luncheon soup or to use in gravies and stews.

Lentils are an excellent partner with manyfoods—fruits, vegetables, and meat. To cook,place 2 cups of lentils in a heavy saucepan, andadd 5 cups of cold or warm water and 2 teaspoonssalt. Bring to boiling point, reduce heat, covertightly, and boil gently for 30 minutes.

ftU.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE :1970—O374-474

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents,U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 25 cents

11

To Help You Choose and UseDRY BEANS, PEAS,

and LENTILS

» Dry beans, peas, and lentils are inter-changeable and may be used for makingsoups, salads, and served as main dishvegetables.

* Buy in cellophane bags or other clear,see-through packages. Look for beans,peas, and lentils with bright, uniformcolor, uniform size, and no visibledamage.

» Some packages may carry a U.S. orState grade—your assurance of highquality.

^^^^^^^^ps; v?Si?™:.: i£tSis¥}f:a"ipiSg£?jygsS|p?i;?:sijg:

» Dry beans, whole peas, and split peas(unless used in soup) need soaking be-fore cooking. Lentils do not. Cook slowlyand boil gently.

CONSUMER AND MARKETING SERVICEHOME AND GARDEN BULLETIN NO. 177JUNE 1970