Lima beans are a type of legume that is often used in dishes such as stews or casseroles. They have a mild, earthy flavor and a creamy texture. Lima beans can also be mashed or pureed to create a thickener for soups or sauces.
There is a huge focus in modern times on eating a healthy diet, although a lot of foods that are considered to be good for you don’t always taste that great.
Lima beans are known to be exceptional where nutritional value is concerned, but there is a worldwide disgust, almost, for their taste. But if you are looking to include more nutrient rich foods in your diet, lima beans may be a way to do this.
If you have been considering adding a handful of lima beans to your meals, then you are probably wondering if they taste as bad as everyone makes out. In this post, we will be removing the mystery from the lima bean and discovering its wonderful potential.
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What Are Lima Beans?
Lima beans are a relatively large, off-white colored bean from the legume family. They are grown specifically for their edible seeds. They have a sweet yet nutty taste and tend to have a buttery and creamy texture. Out of all the different kinds of beans, lima beans probably have the least beanie taste.
What Does Lima Beans Taste Like?
Lima beans are a legume that have a starchy texture and a nutty, earthy flavor. They are often used in dishes such as succotash or as an additive in hummus. Lima beans can also be boiled and mashed to make a type of porridge.
Do lima beans taste like edamame?
Lima beans and edamame differ in flavor profile. Lima beans have a savory taste, while edamame have a sweet taste. Lima beans also have a firmer texture, while edamame are more delicate.
Are lima beans and butter beans the same thing?
Many people find the sheer number of types of beans to be incredibly confusing, and it’s not surprising. Not only are there a massive number of different beans but many of them go by several names. One of the most common questions relates to whether lima beans are the same as butter beans; after all, they look extremely similar. That is because they are exactly the same thing, because of their buttery texture, this nickname is commonly used.
Are lima beans and cannellini beans the same?
Another bean that is commonly confused with the lima bean is the cannellini bean and while they both have a similar colour, there is a clear difference in size, with lima beans being larger. However, it is not uncommon for one to be used as a substitute for the other despite the cannellini bean being more closely related to the red kidney bean.
Why Are Lima Beans Universally Hated?
Lima beans certainly have a tendency to pull people in opposite directions. While there are some people who can’t get enough of these little legumes, most people detest them. But the poor little lima bean isn’t to blame, for the most part. Typically speaking, it is the way that the lima beans are prepared that causes an issue.
A lot of the time, lima beans will simply be boiled, and in most cases, boiled for too long which leaves them with a very unpleasant taste. When they are overcooked, lima beans can go from being sweet and delicious to very bitter and even having a taste that resembles sulphur. What’s more, most people are eating lima beans for the first time from a can. While canned foods certainly have their place in the world, there are some foods that are better eaten fresh and lima beans are one of them.
What Goes With Lima Beans For Dinner?
A big issue for people looking to include lima beans in their diet is how they will eat them. It may surprise you to learn that lima beans are incredibly versatile and can be eaten with so many different dishes. Of course, you could eat them alone with a little seasoning if you wanted to keep things very simple but in the main, they would be used to bulk up another dish.
Lima beans go very well in soups and there are some more ‘out there’ recipes that see lima beans being used as an accompaniment to bacon and eggs. There are many lima bean based dishes that see these beans being given flavor and texture with a blend of sauces and other foods producing sides like creamed lima beans.
How To Prepare Dry Lima Beans For Cooking
As with many types of beans and legumes, lima beans must be soaked before they can be cooked. This is likely one of the reasons that so many people opt to eat them out of a can as the need for soaking is removed. However, if you can do this, you will get a far nicer result in terms of taste.
The beans should be soaked overnight for the best results. When they have finished soaking, it is simply a matter of placing them in fresh water and gently boiling them for about an hour. However, if you prefer, you can cook them in the slow cooker along with meats and vegetables.
What Is The Healthiest Type Of Bean?
There are so many different types of beans and all of them have some sort of nutritional value. That being said, there are some that are considered to be much healthier than others. Chickpeas and kidney beans are widely accepted as being some of the healthiest legumes and beans but that certainly isn’t to say that lima beans don’t pack a nutritional punch.
Just one cup of lima beans contains around a quarter of your daily recommendation of iron. They are also very high in fiber and protein which is similar for a lot of beans.
It is known that eating high fiber foods like lima beans may help to control diabetes as well as certain digestive issues, according to WebMD. Lima beans may be able to help your digestive system move more quickly preventing constipation and the effects thereof.
Furthermore, lima beans are very low in cholesterol which means that they may be good for your heart health. As a result of this, eating them regularly may reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Summary
There is a general consensus around the world that lima beans are not a nice food. If you asked anyone what their most hated food was, they would probably say lima beans. But it really isn’t the lima beans’ fault; more often than not, we don’t prepare or cook them correctly and this can lead to a miserable experience.
However, when they are correctly prepared, lima beans are sweet, buttery, and delicious and can be used in a huge range of dishes.
