Facts About Kidney Bean Plants for Kids

Educational Biology Studies

• Since dried kidney beans are so readily available, they make great learning tools for kids studying plant biology. Kidney beans can be easily propagated, even in a plain zipper plastic bag. As they grow, they show all the parts of the plant in its full growing state, from a seed, to a sprout, to the foliage leaves as it grows bigger.

Kidney Bean Toxicity in Sprouts

• Dried kidney beans can be sprouted easily, and can provide a great learning tool for how plants grow from seed, but the sprouts must not be eaten. According to the Vegetarian Society, sprouts contain haemaglutin, which occurs naturally but is killed during high-temperature cooking. This substance can produce nausea and abdominal pain. While the sprouts themselves are toxic, the beans are safe to eat once they are dried and then cooked.

Teaching Nutritional Value in Cooking

• Kidney beans are a very healthy dried bean that is easily grown at home. When kids plant, harvest and cook kidney beans, they can appreciate a full-cycle growth and the resulting product of this food source. When presented with different beans, some kids shy away from trying new ones. Growing them in the family garden encourages them to try new things and to cook with healthy foods.