Differences Between Northern & Navy Beans

Navy Bean Basics

• Navy beans are small and white, on average close to the size of a pea. In dry form they have an average shelf life of up to three years. Nutritionally, navy beans offer vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron and vitamin B1. They are also a low-fat, high-fiber food choice, providing nearly half of a body's daily fiber intake in just one cup of cooked beans. That same cup of beans provides you with over a third of your daily requirements for protein. One cup contains 255 calories.

Great Northern Beans

• Great Northern beans are larger than navy beans in size. Great Northern Beans don't pack as much fiber in one cup -- only 12 percent if you eat 2,000 calories a day. They do, however, compare favorably to navy beans in terms of protein, providing about 30 percent in one cup. These beans are lower in calories per cup, coming in at 209 calories. Nutritionally these beans contain vitamin B6, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C along with magnesium, iron and potassium.

Culinary Applications

• While navy beans and Great Northern beans can potentially substitute for each other, Great Northern beans work well in stew, salad and soup. Great Northern beans hold their shape better than navy beans, which is why the navy bean appears readily in baked beans and purees. Great Northern beans have a slightly grainer texture than navy beans too. Both beans absorb flavor very well.

History

• Common beans, no matter the cultivar, owe their origin to Peru. In the New World, both navy and Great Northern beans spread across the land from South and Central America thanks to Spanish explorers. Great Northern beans may have gotten their name based on the fact that they're commonly grown in the northern part of the United States' Midwest region. Navy beans received their name from their use in naval meals in the early 20th century. Navy beans are closer botanically to common beans, while Great Northern beans count kidney beans as cousins.