Consumers
Beans belong to the legume family and are the edible seeds that grow in pods on annual plants, bushes or vines. In the United States, the terms dry beans and legumes are often used interchangeably. In other parts of the world, such as Canada, however, they’re called pulses, a term rooted in the Latin word puls, or ancient bean porridge.
In developed countries, beans are considered vegetables, though botanists scientifically classify them as fruits. Shelled beans can be eaten fresh, sprouted, dried, and ground into flour. Because they easily can be stored and shipped, beans are most frequently dried and can remain edible indefinitely, though, the older the beans, the longer the cooking times necessary to soften them.
The shape of each bean distinguishes it from other legumes, like peas and lentils. Usually, beans are kidney-shaped or oval, while peas are round and lentils have a flat, disk-like shape.
The term “dry beans” refers to beans that are dry-packaged in sealed paper, plastic or cloth bags and those that are pre-cooked in cans or frozen. Dry bean varieties include pinto, navy, lima and black beans, but not green beans or soybeans.
See Bean Varieties for photos and descriptions of popular American-grown bean varieties.