Today is Lima Bean Respect Day. In New Orleans, many restaurants serve lima beans on Wednesdays (Mondays is traditionally red beans day), but did you know…

Lima beans have been cultivated in Peru since 6000 B.C., and their name comes from Lima, Peru’s capital city. Another name for the lima bean is “chad bean.”

Fresh lima beans are not easily found in the U.S., but when they’re around, are most often found at farmers’ markets and most often in the South. Most lima beans are dried, canned, or frozen.

Lima beans are said to contain cyanide compounds, which is why many countries, including the U.S., restrict commercially grown varieties to those with very low cyanogen levels.

Filed Under: Culinary History