VITAMIN - LADEN FOOD: WHITE KIDNEY BEAN PRODUCTION EXPANDED IN THE NORTHERN REGION

Dashoguz velayat has increased its areas planted to legume crops, white kidney beans in particular. A variety with a thin skin and black spots known as “The Black Eye” is a popular favorite with local farmers. This unpretentious annual plant can tolerate dry conditions well, adapts to sandy soils easily and is resistant to pests and diseases.

Thanks to their short growing period, kidney beans are used as a catch crop. They help to improve the soil enriching it with nitrogen. There are 35 hectares and 30 hectares of white kidney beans grown in S. A. Niyazov and Gurbansoltaneje etrap respectively this year. The total area planted to the legume in Dashoguz velayat is 250 hectares.

When it comes to nutritional benefits, white kidney beans contain over 20 percent of high-quality plant-based protein. They are a good source of B vitamins, fiber, and folic acid. Potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper, which are also present in good amounts in white kidney beans, have beneficial effects on heart health.

White kidney beans have a pleasant and delicate flavor and do not take long to prepare. They are used in many dishes of Turkmen cuisine, including Unash, a rich soup with noodles and red pepper often recommended during the cold season. White kidney beans are also used in cosmetology and folk medicine.

Many farmers in the region are very experienced in growing white kidney beans, which they used to grow in their household gardens for their own needs.