Find more of the F Food. Culture. series here. Beans are a prime source of plant-based protein that have always appeared on lists of “superfoods.” Also efficient to cultivate, morethese protein-rich crops have been farmed the longest throughout history and used in ways that contributed greatly to human food culture. In big bean-consuming countries like Korea and China, beans become tofu, pastes, and sauces for daily consumption, and they enjoy a high status as a food staple alongside rice. Beans, having paved the way to development of fermentation techniques, are now applauded by world-renowned chefs as being a key ingredient to enhance flavor. Amid growing concerns over the environment and food security around the globe, beans serve an increasingly important role as an alternative to animal-based.