ABSTRACT
Adzuki bean is native to Indo-Burma and China, where it is still a major crop. Adzuki bean is a small red-brown bean, frequently used in Japanese desserts. Adzuki bean like other legumes is a powerhouse of nutrients, as it is a rich source of carbohydrates, protein, fibre, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium but a poor source of fat, iron, zinc, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid. The young tender pods of adzuki bean are used as a cooked vegetable, a stuffing in mushroom caps, candied bean, a source of flour, a beverage base, a substitute of coffee and as an addition to rice and sweet soups. The seeds of adzuki bean are used to treat kidney problems, breast cancer, constipation, abscesses, tumours, threatened miscarriage, retained placenta and for the improvement of blood circulation and urination. Adzuki bean is an annual, usually bushy and erect herb up to 90cm tall, sometimes climbing or prostrate and rooting at the nodes.
