National Eat Your Beans Day is a holiday that falls on July 3rd and reminds everyone that they should incorporate more beans into their diet. Beans are not only a significant source of amino acids and proteins but are also good sources of complex carbs, fiber, iron, and folate. Since beans are great as a side dish, main dish, or snack, there’s no reason why people shouldn’t add more beans to their diet. They’re easy to make, tasty, and very nutritious.

The History of Beans

Okay, let’s face facts. No one knows when National Eat Your Beans Day was invented or who was responsible for inventing it. Fortunately, historians do know how long beans have been cultivated, so we decided to dig into that history instead. With that said, let’s find out how long humankind has been growing beans.

Beans are some of the longest-cultivated plants in history. The oldest evidence of beans being eaten dates back 9,000 years in Thailand, but they likely go back even further. If that’s the case, then people have been eating wild beans way before the invention of agriculture.

In Afghanistan and the Himalayan foothills, archaeologists have found evidence of broad beans (also known as fava beans) being planted. The ancient Egyptians left beans in the tombs of their deceased kings. It’s been estimated that beans were first cultivated around 4,000 years ago in transalpine Europe and in the Aegean. These beans were broad beans.

Beans have also played an important role in history. When colonists first visited North America, Native Americans taught them to grow beans and corn together with squash in a planting method known as the Three Sisters Planting Method. The advantage of this planting method is that the beans provide nitrogen to the soil that the squash and corn need to grow. The corn stalks provide the framework upon which the beans can climb towards the sun, and the squash protects the soil, prevents weeds, and reduces pests.

Interesting Bean-Related Facts

Some people think that they know everything there is to know about beans, but we disagree with that assessment. There are plenty of things to learn about beans, some of which we didn’t realize ourselves. That’s why we’ve decided to list some of the interesting bean facts that we found.

• Since the early 20th century, bean soup has been on the menu in the U.S. Senate’s cafeteria.
• North Dakota produces over 30% of all beans in the United States.
• The ancient Greeks used beans to determine election outcomes.

Observing National Eat Your Beans Day

As the name of this holiday suggests, this is the day when you should start adding beans to your diet. However, we think that everyone needs to consider not only adding beans to their diet on this day but throughout the year. Beans are a great source of fiber, micronutrients, and complex carbohydrates. To encourage other people to also eat their beans, be sure to use the hashtag #EatYourBeansDay on your social media accounts.