Winged Bean

Winged bean is one of the versatile edible legumes of tropical origin. The plant is a climber in the fabaceae family, and closely related to the pole beans.

The bean is one of its own kind of plants wherein almost all the parts of it including immature pods, mature seeds, tender leaves and shoots, flowers, and tubers (roots) can be used in a vast array of delicious east-asian cuisine.

Winged bean is a twining annual vine that grows with trellis support to about 5 meters in height. It is also recognized by alternative names such as asparagus bean for their delicate asparagus-like flavor ofayoung, immature pods. It grows best under hot, humid tropical belt supplanted with short day light, good moisture and well-drained sandy, loam soil. After about 45 days of planting, it bears white, pink or light-blue flowers which appear in spikes. Wing shaped, elongated pods appear soon about 60 days after plantation. The pods feature along its entire length frilly edges on its four sides and round to oval shaped beans inside.

Tender, immature pods of winged beans are one of very low calorie vegetables; 100 g beans carry just 49 calories. Mature winged bean seeds, however, has 409 calories per 100 g and compose relatively high protein content, equivalent to that of soy bean protein.

Fresh, young beans are one of the finest sources of folates. 100 g beans provide 66 ag or 16.5% of daily requirement of folates. Folate, along with vitamin b-12, is one of the essential components of dna synthesis and cell division. Adequate folate in the diet around conception and during pregnancy may help prevent neural-tube defects in the newborn baby.

Fresh winged beans contain quite a good amount of vitamin c. 100 g yard-long beans provide 18.3 mg or 31% of vitamin c. Vitamin c is a powerful water-soluble antioxidant and when adequately provided in the diet, it helps build immunity against infections, maintain blood vessel elasticity, and offer some protection from cancers.

In addition, winged beans provide adequate amounts of minerals and vitamins. Some important minerals such as iron, copper, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium are concentrated in them. Manganese is utilized inside the human body as a co-factor for the powerful anti-oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

Thiamin, pyridoxine (vitamin b-6), niacin, and riboflavin are some of important b-complex vitamins embedded in these beans.

Winged beans leaves are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin c, vitamin a and minerals. 100 g of fresh leaves provide 45 mg of vitamin c (75% of recommended daily value) and 8090 iu of vitamin a (270 % of rda).

Wnged bean tubers are notably rich sources of starch, protein, and b-complex vitamins. 100 g of tuber provide 11.6 g of protein on comparison to 2.02 g/100 g and 1.36 g/100 g protein content in potato and cassava respectively.

Winged beans can be available in the markets almost all round the year in tropical regions. The beans generally known by their regional names such as kacong botol in malaysia and kecipir in indonesia. Other names by which these frilly edged beans addressed around the world are as asparagus pea, princess pea, four-angled bean, goa bean, etc. Although this legume hold huge potential role as an all-round nutritional solution to alleviate malnutrition problems, its cultivationais just limited to home gardens.

Besides its immature pods which command higher consumer attention, almost all parts of the plant including its succulent leaves, tender shoots, flower blossoms, as well as underground tubers are used in various cuisines. In the markets, choose tender, immature pods featuring shiny green surface and light green chewy peas inside. Avoid over-mature, discolored beans as they tend to have un-appetizing flesh and dry seeds inside. At home, the pods should be consumed while fresh to enjoy their natural flavor. Otherwise, store them inside the refrigerator as you do for green beans in a plastic bag for up to 4 days.