Aduki Beans

The aduki bean, sometimes spelled azuki or adzuki, is a versatile bean well-loved in Japanese cooking. It holds a place in ceremonial dishes of both Japan and China, where the beans are used to make traditional dumplings at the New Year and for other festive occasions. Adzuki beans are quite small and are usually a deep red color with a sliver of white at the inseam.

The quickest of all the beans to cook, the lowest in calories and the highest in nutritional content. What more could a busy mum ask for? Aduki beans help detoxify the body and like all beans, are a good source of folic acid which is involved in making red blood cells. They also provide magnesium and copper, both of which the body needs to utilise vitamin C and calcium. Beans also provide zinc which plays a key role in cell division and repair, making it an important immune-boosting and wound-healing nutrient. Beans are not only nutritious - they provide as much protein, pound for pound as meat - but have a long shelf life and are cheap. Beans on wholemeal toast is an excellent healthy dish.