Beans and Rice Feeds the World

22:28Chuck Bryant:And maybe they didn't do anything about it or say anything about it, but surely there were. No, you'd like to think so, you know? Yeah. All right. Let's take a break and regather. It's an interesting thought experiment. And we'll come back and get back to Beans and Rice right after this.

22:59This is Troy Millings from Earn Your Leisure. You probably think of Walmart as a store that carries about everything under the sun. And maybe not as a place to discover small brands. Well, two things can be true at the same time. Because Walmart is home to thousands of small brands founded by people who had an idea, took a chance, and built something of their own. Behind everyone is a real story and a lot of hard work. So why not take a little time to recognize all the people building small brands across the country and support everything they're creating? Walmart is proud to give those brands a place on its shelves and online.

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24:51Chuck Bryant:When you came along, you know, it was like, boom!

25:00Yeah, well, we were work pals. All right, we're back with beans and rice. We were talking about, obviously, the spread of beans and rice through the African slave trade. That is certainly the case in Louisiana and New Orleans. another state here in the United States, the southern United States, where African beans and rice dishes came over. And in their case, like you mentioned earlier, the classic red beans and rice, that actually started out in Haiti, where enslaved Africans worked on sugar cane and coffee plantations there, owned by French colonists. And in that case, they cooked up pigeon peas and rice in a dish, and you're going to have to say this because it's French.

25:44Chuck Bryant:Riz et poise rouge Oh, come on. Play along. Riz et poise rouge Yeah, there you go. And that's the original New Orleans red beans and rice came from Africans via Haiti. Is that what that means? Well, I mean, that's the lineage. The thing I didn't know about this, this is my favorite. Red beans and rice, I think, is so great. I mean, just because of the sausage taste to it. The flavor, right? But one thing I didn't know about it is, so apparently Monday is the traditional day to eat red beans and rice. And Monday was also wash day back in the antebellum era of New Orleans. So the women, the washer women who were doing the laundry on Mondays would use the same coals, not the same water, but the same coals to simmer rice and beans later on.

26:48Chuck Bryant:And they would throw in leftover ham from the day before, Sunday's dinner. And you have red beans and rice on wash day. Yeah, and apparently that's still a tradition. I think schools in New Orleans still serve red beans and rice on Mondays. That's pretty great. Yeah. We can concentrate on a few countries now, because again, I mean, we can talk about dozens of countries that have these dishes. But about half of the 12 million enslaved Africans that came over during the Atlantic slave trade landed in Brazil. So we're going to talk a little bit about Brazil, Cuba, and Jamaica specifically. And today, Brazil has maybe, I mean, it's hard to pit these against each other, but they may have the strongest beans and rice culture in the Americas because they are like, every lunch and dinner, like, we should have beans and rice.

27:42Chuck Bryant:Yeah, which, I mean, that makes sense. Their beans and rice dish is called, my Portuguese is a little rusty, so I'm going to say feioada. Actually, look this one up. Oh, let's hear it. How close was that? There's a joie sound, so it's apparently feijoada. Yeah. All right. Sorry. Feijoada. Yeah, there you go. Feijoada vive. That is their rice and beans dish. And just like risé poire rouge, there's a definite connection to the slavery area of Brazil as well. Yeah, for sure. Because they would do like they did in the American South. They would take what were called the undesirable cuts of meat that were cast off by the plantation owners, like pork cheek and pig's feet and ham hocks and stuff like that, jowls, and they would use that stuff.

28:35And so the best way usually to cook that kind of thing is a very slow-cooked stew, and that's what feijoada is. So they could simmer that thing all day long while they were toiling and working, and they eat that with collard greens. Actually, that may be what I was thinking earlier.

28:54Chuck Bryant:Mm-hmm. Yeah. Still, I mean, we can rewrite history with collard green, Jerry. What about Cuba? So you mentioned how the Catholic Spanish considered rice a pagan Moorish dish or food. That division is actually reflected in Cuba's rice dish. Well, it depends. I think the west side of Cuba eats this. Yes, it's called Moros y Cristianos, like Moors or Muslims and Christians, and it's black beans and rice, white rice. And then the other side of the island, it's Congre, which is red beans and rice. That's right. And apparently it's a metaphor for modern Cuba as well. Did I say Cuba? Modern Cuba. It's like people who say Washington.

29:46Chuck Bryant:Yeah. Where you have, you know, a sort of fairly equal divide of white people and black people in Cuba. And about, I think, as high as 65 percent of Cubans descended from enslaved Africans because the indigenous Taino people, that was the population of Cuba before the Spanish colonizers came along and basically killed them off. Not completely, but decimated them. Right. The Congri, though, the red beans and rice, that also probably came from Haiti, just like red beans and rice came to New Orleans after the Haitian Revolution when a bunch of former slaves were like, let's start traveling. Yeah.

30:32And, you know, rice and beans is a big deal in Cuba because of the various times over the years that or decades, rather, that they've been in food crisis because of initially like the collapse of the Soviet Union. And then, you know, still ongoing U.S. trade embargoes that have left Cuba in a bad state. So rice and beans apparently is sort of a symbol of their determination as a people to get by.

30:57Chuck Bryant:Yeah, I thought that was pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah. And then we can't not talk about Jamaica. Jamaica is its own thing as far as rice and beans go. Not only do they call their beans peas, because remember they're pigeon peas. Yeah. They cook theirs like way differently from everybody else. They simmer it in coconut milk. Huge difference. Love it. Yeah, that is. They cook the rice and the beans together in one pot rather than cooking them separately and bringing them together on the plate. They also use different seasonings. So with red beans and rice, it starts with the Holy Trinity, celery, onions, and green bell pepper, right?

31:37Chuck Bryant:Jamaican Holy Trinity is thyme, garlic, and scallions, which I'm fine with both of those trinities. Sure. And then they also spice theirs up, literally with allspice, but also with scotch bonnet peppers, which no human has any business going anywhere near. Yeah, those are pretty spicy. And they, that's, I mean, like this is its own dish, but you said it before it was the Jamaican coat of arms. It's just so common that you just have that like every meal from what I understand. Yeah, for sure. I had a, almost every year here in one of the neighborhoods near me in Kirkwood, they have the Kirkwood spring fling, and then they have the chicken wing contest, the wing fling.

32:17And my buddy Matt that lives near us, who's the Stuff You Should Know guy has gotten me to be one of the quote-unquote celebrity judges most years. Oh, yeah. And this year, I had a scotch bonnet wing that was the hottest thing I've ever put in my mouth.

32:33Chuck Bryant:Yeah. By far. And that's not even close to, like, the hottest pepper. I know. It was unbelievably hot. It took 20 minutes for me to even feel normal again. I'm sure. It was bad. They're pretty, though. That's the thing. That's how they get you. You're like, wow, it's a pretty pepper. I mean, this chicken wing was the color orange I've never seen before. Man, forget that. Yeah. I would have been like, well, I'm not the celebrity judge anymore, I guess. Should we take another break? Yeah, let's. All right, we'll be right back with why beans and rice is popular right after this.

33:19Chuck Bryant:This is Jacob Goldstein from What's Your Problem? You probably think of Walmart as the store that carries just about everything under the sun, and maybe not as the place to discover small brands. Well, two things can be true at the same time. Because Walmart is home to thousands of small brands, founded by people who had an idea, took a chance, and built something of their own. Behind every one is a real story and a lot of hard work. So why not take a little time to recognize all the people building small brands across the country and support everything they're creating. Walmart is proud to give those brands a place on its shelves and online.

33:56Chuck Bryant:It's never been easier to find and support small brands. So take a look at Walmart. You might come across something new, something unexpected, or a brand whose story speaks to you. You never know what you're missing until you look. Discover thousands of small brands at walmart.com. Apple Vacations, where your story starts. The Summer Savings Event is here at Apple Vacations. It's the perfect time to bring everyone together for the getaway you've been dreaming about. Book between July 24th and August 27th and enjoy up to 55 % instant savings. From relaxing beach days to unforgettable moments with the people who matter most, your next vacation starts here.

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35:08Eastern, 10 a.m. Pacific, and catch replays Monday on BET. Presented by iHeart.

35:15Chuck Bryant:And you came along and it was like, BING!

35:24Yeah, well, we were work pals.

35:27Chuck Bryant:So, Chuck, we've been focusing mainly on the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa as far as, like, rice dishes go, right? Yeah. And a little bit of the United States, more the southern area. Sure. There's, like, rice and bean dishes are like so universally eaten by traditional cultures around the world that there's actually an anthropologist named Sidney Mintz who's like, I think this is actually one of the oldest dishes humans make and that it's been sustaining cultures around the world for thousands and thousands of years. Yeah, he's got his own theory. It's called the core fringe legume pattern.

36:09And it's those three things. He basically says that in every culture and their diet, they have a core grain involved. And as you can tell from our rice episode in this one, like a lot of the time it's rice. It can be, you know, other things depending on where you are, but rice is definitely one of the big ones. And then you have a legume to complement that grain, in this case, beans or peas. And then you've got the fringe, right?

36:37Chuck Bryant:The fringe, this is fringe as in Surrey with the fringe on top, like a decoration, not a peripheral. Right. Yeah. It's the sauces, it's the seasonings, the herbs and spices that make each rice or grain and bean dish unique to a specific group or region. Yeah. And he basically is like, this is this combination of these three things. He calls it, quote, the basic building blocks of world cuisine. And it's a very just super ancient thing that's been around all over the world forever. I found that interesting that he makes a point, though, that it doesn't have to be rice. I think even though half of the world gets there, like eats rice every day.

37:24Chuck Bryant:Yeah. But there is, like, other kinds of grains as well. Like, have you ever had Ethiopian food? Yeah. It's been a while. They have, like, these kind of pancake-like breads. Oh, yeah, yeah. It's like a very flat bread. And you put the food basically into that and make, like, a little tostada or burrito or something out of it, essentially. Or you can use it to sop stuff up. Yeah. But, like, that's their main grain. I don't think you have a meal in Ethiopia without that bread. Do you know what it's called? Injera. Injera? Injera? I think so. That sounds good. I need to eat some Ethiopian food. It's been a while for me, but every time I've had it, I loved it.

38:08Chuck Bryant:Yeah. And, I mean, Ethiopia is just one place of many. There's a lot of other places that also, that do use rice as the core grain that are nowhere near Latin America. the Middle East I believe in Persia they have a ton of different beans and rice dishes India has something called Rajma Chawal which I mean it doesn't matter what it is if it's Indian food I'll eat it and love it but they have Rajma Chawal would not exist without the New World because they make it with red kidney beans and tomatoes both of which come from the New World and then they India it up with basmati rice yeah for sure Yeah, Indian food is not something I would associate with red kidney beans, so I'll have to try to seek that out.

38:53Chuck Bryant:For sure. And then turkey has something, it's a staple called Kuru Fasulyi V Pilaf. And it's a rice pilaf with white bean stew, which sounds good too. I love white beans. Like a white bean chili? Yeah. But Sydney Mint seems to be onto something though, you know? Like the rice and beans in particular seem to be like all over the place. And anytime something's like that nearly universal, it's probably pretty old. Yeah, and probably fairly healthy because if ancient cultures are eating stuff for thousands of years, it's probably not, you know, junk food. Right. That's new. You probably heard like, you know, if you eat rice and beans together, it's a complete protein because they complement one another and filling in the blanks of what like the key amino acids that the other is missing.

39:45and the amino acids are the building blocks of protein. And it's not like, that's not 100 % true, but it's kind of true.

39:53Chuck Bryant:I've seen both. I've seen that, yeah, essentially it is a complete protein if you put them both together. And eat enough. I feel like, yes, that's the key. I think if you really want to nitpick, you can be like, well, a complete protein has 100 % of all of the essential amino acids that you need. And they're essential because your body doesn't make them in abundant enough supply so that we have to get them from external sources, i.e. food. And I think there's nine of them. Yeah, there's nine of them. If you eat a steak or some tuna or like a protein like that, bam, you're covered. And it doesn't take very much.

40:32Chuck Bryant:The critique of rice and beans as a complete protein is, yes, if you put them together, they contain enough of everything that if you eat enough rice and beans, you'll have a complete protein. I think the world generally is like, no, it's a complete protein. Stop being pedantic putts. Yeah, if you have a cup of cooked pintos, that's six ounces, that's about 50 % of most amino acids, but 27 % of one called methionine. So that's what's missing on the bean side. A cup of cooked white rice provides about 10 % to 20 % of most of those amino acids and 14 % of the methionine. But when you eat them together and you eat enough, and I think they say the ideal ratio is about 80 % rice, dry protein to 20 % bean.

41:24It's basically a complete protein. You just have to eat a little more, but low-carb people are like, why would you do that when you can have a three-ounce steak and get all you need?

41:33Chuck Bryant:Yeah. And the beans and rice people are like, why would you kill an animal when you can eat rice and beans? That's a good point. Did you ever eat at the Grit in Athens before it closed? Yeah. The vegetarian restaurant over Prince Avenue, off downtown? It was not my place, but I ate there before. I mean, I don't think you could live in Athens at that time and not eat there. Yeah. I think Michael Stipe might have been an owner at one point or co-owner or maybe an investor. But they, if you were a poor college student, which was like, you know, most of the people I knew and me and myself were, could go to the Grit and get, it was called the Staple.

42:10And it was just white rice and beans with some spices. And it was like three bucks or something. And we would eat that a lot. It was a good, like, way to get a fairly healthy lunch in your body as a college student for not much.

42:22Chuck Bryant:Whenever I think of rice and beans, I think of this one man. I'm pretty sure he was a taxi driver, and he was eating in a Cuban restaurant in New York, Upper East Side, where Yumi's and my friend Molly lives. And it was just around the corner from Molly's house where we were staying, and this guy, it was winter, and he just had this bowl of rice and beans. And he was eating it. He could have been, he was middle-aged. He could have been a little kid. He could have been an old man. The way he was eating it, he was enjoying it. But it was so, so like clearly the, the, the consuming that dish was so ingrained in this man that like it was its own thing.

43:05Chuck Bryant:Like you could have put anybody else in front of that bowl, like, like me eating it. I would not have looked, it wouldn't have been fluid. It wouldn't have been. Oh, interesting. It just looks so natural the way this man was eating it. And then at the same time, you could see him being like nourished by it. It was just cool. It drove home to me like just how big a deal rice and beans are to a lot of the cultures where they are a big deal. It was neat. Oh, that's cool. I love that. Yeah, I know what you mean, though. Not even with rice and beans, but when you see someone from the culture eating the thing that kind of defines and sustains their culture.

43:38Chuck Bryant:Yeah. It's different the way it goes down and the way it looks. Yeah. It's like me and fried chicken. Right. I'm trying to think of what I eat like that. Maybe a donut? Yeah. Probably a donut. Maybe there's someone from another country telling a story about visiting America and seeing this guy eat fried chicken and his friend was eating donuts and is sustaining them. They're being nourished. Yeah. You can be nourished by beans, though. Rice is fine depending on the kind of rice. Like the problem with white rice is it has a high glycemic index, which I'm sure we talked about in the rice episode.

44:12Chuck Bryant:But that basically means it jacks your insulin up while you're digesting it. What's cool is that when you eat beans with white rice, the beans have such a low glycemic index that it washes out a lot of the white rice's glycemic index, removes it. So that's pretty cool. And then beans, of course, are just on their own nutritious. It's just one of the big things is that they have lots of fiber, which is the component of beans that make them the magical fruit. I thought it was musical. Apparently, you get more than half of your daily fiber from one cup of pinto beans. Yeah, that's a lot. They lower your LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol.

44:52They're going to improve your gut health. If you have a risk of, well, I guess everyone has some risk of colorectal cancer. It's getting worse, too. Yeah, it's going to decrease that risk. And what else? There's something about the, like, it fills you up, right? Yeah.

45:09Chuck Bryant:You are satiated by two different hormones that are triggered by eating beans, which is cool. And you basically digest your food a little slower so you feel fuller longer. Yeah. Like last night. They really are magical. Not in prep for this because I didn't even bother making beans. We just been traveling a lot. We have no food here and I didn't know what to eat. and I didn't feel like ordering delivery food because I hate doing that. So I opened up a can of refried black beans and I just cooked those and put some spices in them and threw some cheese on top and ate a bowl of refried beans. Nice.

45:46It was delicious. I farted all night long.

45:48Chuck Bryant:That's awesome. It was great. Yumi eats refried beans a surprising amount and she does not fart. Well, that's because Yumi is perfect. And I'm not. Oh, dude, I'm right there with you. Like, I've been holding it in from lunch the whole time we've been recording. She's a real lady. That's right. You got anything else about beans, rice, rice and beans? Nothing else. I think I'm going to go on a rice and beans tear. How about this, though? I would love if people know a great recipe for that traditional Mexican rice. Send it in. Oh, good idea. It is so good. I swear to God there's lard in it. Probably so.

46:29And it takes some time. You know, it's not the kind of thing you can just whip up in a second.

46:34Chuck Bryant:Okay, sure. That's the one I'm looking for. It depends if you're a Cuban taxi driver in New York. I'll bet you could whip it up in a second. Yeah, for sure. This is a weird episode, Chuck. All right, I'll take that. All right. Well, since Chuck's taken weird, that means he just unlocked listener mail. This was from our episode on postpartum depression that just came out in real time. Hey, guys, I just listened to your PPD ep. was inspired to write in. I want to thank you for shining a light on this extremely difficult subject, specifically the parts in which you acknowledge the uncomfortable, intrusive thoughts that some moms might experience.

47:10I'm a first-time mom of a four-month-old and have been diagnosed with PPD. I'm getting all the treatments you outlined in your episode, but it's still a lonely journey. And your episode is a very succinct, accessible way to inform people that support me and my life about what I'm experiencing. So as a woman, I'm always second-guessing my feelings, even when it comes to my PPD symptoms, but the stats that you shared in the episode remind me that this is very real, and I'm not just being dramatic. So as two cis men, you did a great job, and keep doing good work. And that is Rachel from Portland, Oregon.

47:44Chuck Bryant:Nice. Thank you very much, Rachel, for writing in to tell us that, because that's exactly why we did that episode, you know? Yeah, and we're, you know, you're in our thoughts, and it's a very lonely place to be. Yeah, well said, Chuck. Hopefully listening to that episode made people who are going through PPD. Stuff You Should Know is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts are wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

48:21This is Troy Millings from Earn Your Leisure. When you think about discovering small brands, what store pops in your mind? Well, it should be Walmart. Seriously, Walmart has thousands of small brands, and they're all in one place. Just go online or in-store, discover, and shop. It could not be easier. Every one of these brands has a real story and real people behind it. They're true American success stories, and you can find them all at Walmart. Discover thousands of small brands at walmart.com today.

48:52Hey, everyone. It's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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