By Virgilio C. Ventura
As a picky eater, my appetite was tested during my short stint as a development worker volunteer in Nairobi, Kenya in 2010. I failed to develop an appetite for their staple maize meal called Ugali (called unga when raw) which is their counterpart of our rice in the Philippines.
Yet, I was pleased when I discovered that they also count the delicious kidney beans (known as Nyayo beans) as among the daily viands in Kenyan cuisine.
“Just as its name suggests, the kidney bean is shaped like a kidney. Since these dark red beans hold their shape well during cooking and readily absorb surrounding flavors, they are a favorite bean to use in simmered dishes. Kidney beans that are white in color are known as cannellini beans.”1/
Indeed, I am most familiar with the red kidney bean because I also count it as my childhood years’ comfort food as prepared (much like ginisang munggo) by my own dear mother. From there on, I was hooked on kidney beans. Later, in my undergraduate years, I passionately ate at Wendy’s fast-food outlets in Manila that served it as a Mexican inspired spicy cuisine called chili con carne, often partnered with rice or Skyflake’s salted crackers. It is with such gastronomic passion for kidney beans that I find affinity with the legendary American trumpeter and jazz vocalist artist Louis Armstrong of long ago, when he always signed his autographs with the words: “Red Beans and Ricely Yours”, in reference to his iconic meal of red kidney beans.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE
Nutrient-wise, the kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is packed with healthy minerals like iron, phosphorus, potassium, and phytonutrients, which have antioxidant properties that help prevent damage to cells throughout the body. Likewise, some plant-based phytonutrients in kidney beans “have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer, and Parkinson’s diseases.2/ “Epidemiologic studies showed that there was a positive association between the consumption of kidney beans and the reduction of the risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes type Ⅱ, and certain types of cancer (Dueñas et al., 2015).3/ According to experts in nutrition, the recommended daily allowance for Filipinos for beans and nuts (dried) as purchased is 16 grams per person or a per capita consumption per year of 5.9 kilos.4/
PRODUCTION TRENDS AND SUSTAINABILITY
There is no specific information available on the current state of red kidney bean production in the Philippines. However, according to a report by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, kidney beans are one of the top products produced in the Philippines.5/
As per Volza’s Global Export data, kidney bean export shipments stood at 137.6K worldwide, exported by 4,996 World Exporters to 5,634 Buyers. The top 3 exporters of are Netherlands with 11,340 shipments, followed by China with 8,775, and Germany at with 8,235 shipments.6/
While there is no specific information available on the current demand for red kidney beans in the Philippines, a report by 6Wresearch shows that the dry beans market in the Philippines is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period of 2022-2028.7/ The report also mentions that the demand for dry beans in the Philippines is driven by factors such as increasing health consciousness, rising disposable income, and growing urbanization.
Red kidney beans have a low environmental impact compared to other protein sources, such as meat. They require less water and land to produce, and can be grown using sustainable farming practices. Red kidney beans are drought-tolerant and can be grown in areas with limited water resources. As with all legumes, red kidney beans improve soil health, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, and thus making them ideal to be used in crop rotation.8/ Red kidney beans are affordable and accessible, making them an important food source for low-income households and communities.9/
“Philippine imports of pulses and other leguminous vegetables in various formats (dry, frozen, flour, and prepared foods) grew 48 percent in the past five years to $88 million in 2022. Local traders forecast Philippine imports will increase five to seven percent annually in the next five years. The key drivers include the country’s growing reliance on imports, the rising prices of animal-sourced protein, and a growing trend toward plant-based foods.”5/
CONCLUSION
Red kidney beans are a nutritious and sustainable food source that can help address food security in the Philippines. They have several health benefits, including high nutritional value, lower cholesterol levels, regulation of blood sugar, and antioxidant properties. They are also environmentally sustainable, drought-tolerant, and can be used in crop rotation to improve soil health. Red kidney beans are affordable and accessible, making them an important food source for low-income households and communities. END
NOTES:
1/ Dark Red Kidney Beans, INDIAMART. https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/dark-red-kidney-beans-6638501933.html
2/ Phytonutrients – Nature’s Natural Defense, UnlockFood.ca. https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Vitamins-and-Minerals/Phytonutrients-%E2%80%93-Nature%E2%80%99s-Natural-Defense.aspx#:~:text=Many%20phytonutrients%20have%20antioxidant%20properties,stroke%2C%20Alzheimer’s%20and%20Parkinson’s%20disease.
3/ Lijiao Kan, et al. (2016) citing: M. Dueñas et al., 2015, Effect of germination and elicitation on phenolic composition and bioactivity of kidney beans in Nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidant activities of 26 kidney bean cultivars, Elsevier’s Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691516303210
4/ Palo, A.V. https://www.jircas.go.jp/sites/default/files/publication/tars/tars6-_189-195.pdf
5/ Pulses Market Brief, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, March 02, 2023. https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Pulses%20Market%20Brief_Manila_Philippines_RP2023-0023.pdf
6/ Kidney bean exports from world, May 24, 2023. https://www.volza.com/p/kidney-bean/export/
7/ Philippines Dry Beans Market | Companies, COVID-19 IMPACT, Analysis, Size, Growth, Share, Forecast, Industry, Trends, Value & Revenue. 6Wresearch. https://www.6wresearch.com/industry-report/philippines-dry-beans-market
8/ Kidney Beans 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits. https://sdg2advocacyhub.org/latest/campaign-to-target-100-increase-in-bean-consumption-among-kenyan-consumers-to-improve-diets-and-food-systems/
9/ Shah, Mehak (2023), Benefits of Kidney Beans, Nutritional Facts, Recipes, Side Effects and More. HealthifyMe. https://www.healthifyme.com/blog/kidney-beans/
