Phaseolus acutifolius
Tepary Bean
Oʼodhamwepagĭ bawĭ (brown tepary) , to:ta bawĭ (white tepary)
Description
Tepary beans are a very important food source for the Tohono Oˊodham. Tepary beans were originally domesticated from wild varieties that grow in canyons of the Sonoran desert. Since they are a native plant, they are well-adapted to the hot, dry climate of the Sonoran desert. Tepary beans have a high nutritional value. They have 23-30% higher protein content as compared to common beans such as pinto, kidney, and navy [ 2 ]. They also have higher levels of oil, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, and potassium. For example, a 100 grams of dry, white tepary beans contain 24 grams protein, 144 milligrams calcium, 405 milligrams phosphorous, and 1,653 milligrams potassium [ 1 ].
