The Red Speckled beans commonly known as the sugar bean is a legume. It is grown for its seed, which is eaten as a vegetable. It has high soluble fiber content. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the stomach forming a gel that slows down the absorption of the beans carbohydrates. They can therefore help balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy, which makes them a good choice for people with diabetes suffering with insulin resistance.

Apart from providing slow-burning complex carbohydrates, sugar beans can increase energy levels by helping to restore more iron, an integral component of hemoglobin which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism.

The dried bean can be purchased to re-hydrate or the canned variety which are ready to use. A well-known replacement for meat and is used an a variety of vegetarian dishes.