As Much Protein As Beef, Beats Green Beans. Grows Back Yearly. But It's Planted As An Ornamental? скачать в хорошем качестве

As Much Protein As Beef, Beats Green Beans. Grows Back Yearly. But It's Planted As An Ornamental?

As Much Protein As Steak, Survives Winter: Why Industrial Farming Erased The Aztecs' "Meat Vine" There is a plant growing in millions of American gardens right now that contains as much protein per ounce as a beef steak. It produces massive edible tubers, flowers that taste like nectar, and beans the size of your thumb. Yet, for the last century, Westerners have grown it strictly as a decoration, throwing the food in the compost pile. This is the story of the Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus), the perennial "Ayocote" that sustained the Aztec Empire, and why the invention of the mechanical harvester forced it out of the grocery store. 🔬 THE SCIENCE: While the common green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an annual that dies after one season, the Scarlet Runner is a biological anomaly. Native to the cool uplands of Central America (domesticated ~2000 BC), it develops a massive starchy tuberous root system. This allows the plant to survive winter dormancy in Zones 7+ and shoot up 15 feet in the spring, weeks before common beans can germinate. Nutritional analysis reveals why it was a staple of the Milpa system: Protein: 21-24% by dry weight. 100g of dried beans delivers ~24g of protein (comparable to 3oz of beef). Iron: A single serving provides nearly 35% of the daily recommended value. Antioxidants: Black and purple seeded varieties are rich in anthocyanins, the same compounds found in blueberries. Cold Tolerance: Contains enzymes allowing germination at 50°F (10°C), thriving in shoulder seasons where other beans rot. CRITICAL SAFETY NOTE: Like kidney beans, Scarlet Runners contain Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Mature beans must never be eaten raw. They require soaking and vigorous boiling for 10-15 minutes to neutralize the lectin. 💰 THE DECLINE: The disappearance of the Scarlet Runner from the food supply wasn't a matter of taste—it is widely considered richer and "meatier" than kidney beans. It was a matter of industrial geometry. In the 1950s, agriculture shifted toward mechanization. Combine harvesters require low, uniform crops. Breeders developed "bush beans" that stood knee-high and ripened all at once. The Scarlet Runner, which climbs 15 feet high and requires trellising, was impossible to harvest with a tractor. Furthermore, the pod develops a fibrous "parchment layer" to protect the giant seeds. Modern consumers demanded "stringless" beans for convenience. We traded a high-protein, perennial survival crop for an annual bush bean simply because the latter didn't require a trellis or a paring knife. 🌱 THE REVIVAL: The Scarlet Runner is the ultimate "Vertical Rebellion." Zones 7-11: Leave roots in the ground for perennial production. Zones 3-6: Dig up the tubers in Fall and store them like dahlias to replant in Spring. Seeds are available from heirloom suppliers like Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange, and Burpee. Varieties like "Painted Lady" and "Magic Beanstalk" offer the best dual-purpose yield (ornamental + edible). 📚 SOURCES: Kaplan, L. (1965). Archeology and Domestication in American Phaseolus (Beans). Economic Botany. Hardwick, R. C. (1988). The Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.): Physiology, Genetics and Cultivation. Horticultural Reviews. USDA National Nutrient Database. Beans, scarlet runner, mature seeds, raw. Vandenbosch, K. A. et al. (1995). Bean Lectins: The Phytohemagglutinin Link to Gut Health. Journal of Nutrition. Vavilov, N. I. (1951). The Origin, Variation, Immunity and Breeding of Cultivated Plants. Chronica Botanica. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Phaseolus coccineus (Scarlet Runner Bean). #AncestralYields #PerennialVegetables #FoodSovereignty #Permaculture #GardeningTips #HeirloomSeeds #VegetableGardening #SelfReliance #AztecHistory #ProteinSources