Pinto Beans

The pinto beans is a variety of the common bean.

It is the most popular bean in the United States and northwestern Mexico, and is most often eaten whole in broth or mashed and refried. Either whole, it is a common filling for burritos. The young pods may also be harvested and cooked as green pinto beans.

In Spanish, they are called frijol pinto, literally "speckled bean", and in South America it is known as the porotofrutilla, literally "strawberry bean". In Portuguese, they are called feijão carioca in Brazil (literally "carioca bean") and feijãocatarino in Portugal. It is named for its mottled skin (compare pinto horse), hence it is a type of mottled bean.

Rice and pinto beans served with cornbread or corn tortillas are often a staple meal where meat is unavailable; the amino acids in this combination make it a complete protein source.

Studies have indicated pinto beans can lower both good and bad cholesterol levels. Pinto beans have also been shown to contain the phytoestrogen coumestrol, which has a variety of possible health effects.