Kidney beans make an inexpensive, filling addition to soups, stews and salads. Many people don't know where kidney beans originate or what materials make up their structure.
Name
Kidney beans are seeds that were originally cultivated in South and Central America. Their name comes from their kidney shape, though in some parts of the world they're known as common beans.
Exterior
The kidney bean has a tough, waxy coating on the outside of the bean called the seed coat, which protects the bean from damage until germination has begun. When the bean is allowed to germinate, the seed coat is sloughed off and discarded.
Cotyledons
The bean is classified as a dicot, which means that it has two separate cotyledons. Once germinated, the cotyledons will grow into the plant's seed leaf.
Interior
If the kidney bean is allowed to germinate, other portions of the bean will become part of the plant. The radicle is visible as a small speck on the concave curve of the bean and is responsible for creating the plant's root system. The hypocotyl and epicotyl will become shoots, stems, and leaves.
Cooking
When cooking, the starchy cotyledon swells and the embryonic plant portions become less noticeable.
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