Tepary bean: Discover a wealth and amazing properties of the Southwest treasure

The Tepary bean:

Is native to the south-western United States and Mexico and has been grown there by the native peoples since pre-Columbian times.
It is estimated that in 1930 the tribe grew 1.6 million pounds of tepary beans on the reservation for their consumption; by 2000, that amount had shriveled to less than 100 pounds!
Unfortunately these nutty-flavored beans had almost lost their importance and charm which had led them on to the verge of their extinction.
The water requirements are low and the crop will grow in areas where annual rainfall is less than 400 mm (16 inches).
It has been introduced to African agriculture.

Cuisine with the tepary bean:

Tepary beans are cooked like other dry beans after soaking.
One of the most tempting feature of the tepary is its nutty sweet flavor completely different from other beans.
Teparies take three hours or more to cook and aren’t quite as tender as pintos
Some Native Americans toasted the dry beans, then ground them into a meal which was mixed with water before eating.
It is an ingredient in the Indian snacks 'bhujia' and Punjabi Tadka by Haldiram.
Teparies are not eaten green. Let them dry on the vine, and harvest the small kernels when they're orange brown.

Tepary bean and health:

Some research findings in the US and Mexico indicate that lectin toxins and other components of the beans, may be effective as a chemotherapy agent for cancer treatment. However, further research is needed.
Main minerals which are a nutritious highlight of the beans are oil, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and potassium along with accumulated vitamins and rich fiber. Tepary Beans are also lower in polyunsaturated fat and in the anti-enzymatic compounds which make common beans hard to digest.
With a protein content of about 23-30%, Tepary Beans is a promising nutrient supplier. Not only this it is a huge reservoir of almost all nutrients in higher proportions.
Tepary beans have grown to be an ideal food for people who are prone to diabetes or suffering from diabetes. Now the reason is very clear. It is the beans' high fiber level, which makes them a "slow-release food"; that is, tepary beans' sugars are released slowly and steadily. (Read more at Type 2 diabets & Tepary bean)
"Nutritional research has shown that foods of the desert, like the tepary bean and mesquite flour, played a key role in regulating blood-sugar levels and slowing sugar-absorption rates, being low in fats and simple sugars but high in soluble fiber and complex carbohydrates."

Tepary bean