Quote:
Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8
Yeah, I wrestled with that question, too.
I wondered if the bean got its name because it was the variety that was used for the soup that the Navy made or if the bean was already called that before that (maybe before any navy used it). But if the bean didn't get that name because of its use in the Navy, but was already called "Navy bean," how else could it have possibly gotten that name?
It was already late last night when I made the post, so I didn't feel like researching it. So, I just decided to consider it one of the great unanswerable mysteries of the universe and go on to bed and forget about it.  |
Solution (per
Wikipedia Navy bean; bold type and italics are mine):
Quote:
The navy bean, haricot or pearl haricot bean,[citation needed] white pea bean,[1] or pea bean,[2] is a class of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) native to the Americas, where it was domesticated.[3] It is a small, dry white bean which is smaller than many other types of white beans, and has an oval, slightly flattened shape. It features in such dishes as baked beans and even pies, as well as in various soups such as Senate bean soup.[4] Unlike most canned vegetables, which lose much of their nutritive value in the canning process, navy beans maintain their nutritive value when canned.[5]
The plants that produce navy beans may be either of the bush type or vining type, depending on which cultivar they are.[6]
Consumption of baked beans has been shown to lower total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.[7][8] This might be at least partly explained by high saponin content of navy bean. Saponins also exhibit antibacterial and anti-fungal activity, and have been found to inhibit cancer cell growth.[9] Furthermore, navy bean is the richest source of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid among the common bean varieties.[10] It is commonly known as the "Navy Bean" due to its use as a staple of United States Navy rations in the 19th century.
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