Adzuki beans or aduki beans (pronounced “a-ZOO-kee”) are nutrient-dense tiny reddish-brown beans with a distinctive white ridge on one side.
Due to their sweet, nutty flavor, in Japan and China, these beans are often ground into a chocolatey paste called anko, and used in cakes and desserts. If you’ve ever ordered red bean ice cream at a Japanese restaurant, you’ve unwittingly eaten adzuki beans.
In the U.S., these pint-sized legumes have made the leap from ethnic grocers to health food stores. Whole Foods sold over 18,000 pounds of adzuki beans in California in 2009. Eden Foods reports that of the 33 types of canned beans it sells, adzuki beans rank 7th.
Snack food maker Boulder Canyon Natural Foods now markets several varieties of chips that feature the vibrantly colored bean. Don’t be surprised if sometime soon you see Starbucks selling Adzuki Frappuccinos and frozen food aisles stocking Häagen-Dazs Strawberry and Adzuki Red Bean ice cream, as they currently do in Japan.
Adzuki Bean Nutrition Facts & Health Benefits
1. Adzuki beans are full of protein and fiber.
One cup of these easy-to-digest beans is less than 300 calories, yet they contain an impressive 17 grams of protein and fiber, making them an ideal addition to a vegan or vegetarian diet.
2. Adzuki beans have a low glycemic index.
Adzuki beans have a very low glycemic index, making them an ideal part of a healthy diabetic diet because they will not cause a blood sugar spike. They’re also high in fiber which helps manage blood sugar because fiber doesn’t require insulin to digest and will contribute to a longer feeling of fullness. Additionally, the soluble fiber in beans binds to cholesterol in the digestive system and removes it before it gets into circulation, lowering overall cholesterol levels.
3. Adzuki beans are full of valuable trace minerals, including iron.
One cup of cooked adzuki beans provides 3-5 milligrams (mg) of iron, 25% of our daily recommended intake, and 0.7 mg of copper, 34% of our daily recommended intake. Copper, it’s well known, helps with the absorption of iron. The same serving size also supplies about one-half of the recommended quantity of manganese we need in a day, and over one-third of the phosphorus. Manganese strengthens the immune system, while phosphorus, like calcium, helps build strong bones.
4. Adzuki beans are a good source of three B vitamins.
A one-cup serving of cooked adzuki beans supplies 18% of the thiamin, 11% of the vitamin B6, and 70% of the folate we need every day. B-vitamins not only play a critical role in keeping our brains healthy, they also help convert food into fuel for energy, keeping our metabolism humming and our cardiovascular system strong.
How to Cook Dried Adzuki Beans
You may have to go to a health food store like Whole Foods to find dried adzuki beans in bulk. Bob’s Red Mill sells packaged dried adzukis in stores and online.
There are several ways to cook the dried beans. Due to their petite size, these legumes cook in about 45 minutes to an hour. Some cooks advise soaking them overnight and then cooking them in fresh water, while other experts contend that soaking is unnecessary. Alternatively, you can pressure cook the soaked beans and they’ll be tender in 15-20 minutes. You can even shorten the cooking time to 5-9 minutes with a pre-soak at high pressure. Another option is to cook the beans in a crockpot. If you want the convenience of cooked beans, Eden Foods produces canned, no-salt-added, adzuki beans. Goya also sells them, labeled as “small red beans.” If your search comes up empty, you can substitute with kidney beans or red beans.
3 Healthy Recipes Using Adzuki Beans
Adzuki beans can be used in salads, veggie burgers, stews, chilli, tacos, and mashed into dips. Here are three healthy adzuki bean recipes to try:
1. Japanese-Inspired Red Bean Pancakes from That Girl Cooks Healthy
An innovative red bean pancake recipe using pureed adzuki beans.
2. Adzuki Bean Soup from Eden Foods
Making soup from adzuki beans has become quite popular. Try this quick adzuki bean soup on a cold winter evening. It’s simple: add beans, winter squash, celery, corn, onions, and soy sauce to one cup of water and simmer for about 25 minutes.
3. Adzuki Bean and Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad with a Twist from Oh She Glows
Thanks to the beans and quinoa, this salad is very satisfying. Quinoa is one of the few grains that contains all nine essential amino acids that make up a complete protein.
