Lima bean Facts
Lima bean Facts
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| Interesting Lima bean Facts: |
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| Lima bean can grow in the form of bush (up to 2 feet in height) or vine (up to 12 feet in height). Varieties that grow in the form of bush reach maturity earlier, but they are more sensitive to diseases and pests. |
| Lima bean has green, compound leaves that consist of three large, heart-shaped leaflets. |
| Lima bean produces white or yellowish flowers with both types of reproductive organs (perfect flowers). Flowers contain large quantities of nectar which attracts honey bees, main pollinators of this plant. When natural pollinators are not available, flowers perform self-pollination. |
| Fruit of lima bean are green pods filled with oval or kidney-shaped, flattened beans. |
| Beans can be white, creamy or green colored. They are usually covered with reddish-brown markings. All varieties of lima bean can be divided in three major groups, based on the size of beans: dwarf, small ("Sieva type") and large ("lima type"). |
| Lima bean reaches maturity 65 to 95 days after sowing. One hectare of lima beans produces 6.400 to 11.000 pounds of beans per year. |
| When lima bean became popular in North America and Europe, it was often transported from South America in boxes marked with "Lima, Peru", to inform recipients on the origin of food. That's how it earned its name. |
| Scientific name of lima bean is "Phaseoulus lunatus". Name refers to the shape of bean, which looks like half-moon (lunatus = crescent-shaped, in Latin). |
| Lima bean is also known as "butterbeans" due to taste of cooked beans which resembles butter. |
| Lima bean is rich source of dietary fibers, proteins, vitamins of the B group and minerals such as molybdenum, magnesium, manganese and iron. |
| Lima beans need to be cooked before consumption, to ensure degradation of cyanide glycosides (group of harmful compounds). |
| Lima bean is available in fresh, dried and canned form. It can be used for the preparation of soups, casseroles, paellas and stews. |
| Lima bean is very popular in the USA where an average citizen consumes 0.3 pounds of lima bean per year. |
| Thanks to high content of dietary fibers, lima bean can prevent constipation, regulate blood sugar level and reduce blood cholesterol level. |
| Lima bean is perennial plant (lifespan: more than 2 years), but it is often cultivated as annual plant (lifespan: one year). |
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