Tepary beans — the drought-resistant desert legume with one of the lowest glycemic indices of any legume. An indigenous Sonoran Desert crop increasingly recognized as a climate-resilient food with exceptional anti-diabetic properties.
Tepary beans are not traditionally a Black American food — their relevance is pharmacological. The most potent anti-diabetic legume available deserves inclusion for the Black American community with the highest T2D burden.
Tepary beans have one of the lowest glycemic indices of any commonly available legume (GI approximately 30-40 — lower than kidney beans GI 29-44, black beans GI 30-40, and chickpeas GI 10-40). The combination of high resistant starch and very high fiber creates a potent blood sugar blunting effect. Research specifically on tepary beans and T2D in indigenous Southwestern populations (who have very high T2D rates from diet Westernization) shows that returning tepary beans to the diet significantly improves glycemic control. For Black American communities with high T2D prevalence, tepary beans represent the most powerful legume intervention available.
Soak overnight. Boil 1.5-2 hours (tepary beans have thicker skins and take longer than pinto or black beans). Season with onion, garlic, cumin. Available online from Southwestern seed companies and heritage grain suppliers; increasingly at health food stores.
Free, no account needed to ask.