has iron and some protein. Beans also contain a good amount of iron and a greater amount of protein than rice. Together they make up a complete protein, which provides each of the amino acids the body cannot make for itself.(source?) Culture In some Latin American states and countries, beans and rice are commonly eaten as everyday lunch, along with a different variety of meats and vegetables. It is also common to prepare dinner using the lunch leftovers. Beans and rice are especially popular in Brazil, which is the world's third largest producer of dry beans and the largest consumer of rice in the Americas. International dishes and variations Worldwide, there are many dishes with a base of beans and rice, which vary in their cooking and additional ingredients. Variations exist regionally, as cultures shape the dishes to their own preferences. In countries near or in the Caribbean, these dishes are simply known as rice and beans, in which the dish is cooked in coconut milk, the following is a list of variations: Brazil: feijoada Chile: arroz con porotos. Caribbean: rice and peas Colombia: calentao Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina: rice and beans Bandeja paisa, a traditional dish made with kidney beans and rice Costa Rica: gallo pinto and in the Caribbean (Puerto Limón and Puerto Viejo) there is rice and beans in which rice and beans are cooked with coconut milk and habanero chili (locally known as Panamanian chile) is added. Cuba: There are two main variations: Moros y cristianos: also known as just moros, it is made with black beans. If made with red beans, it would be considered congris. Congris: made with red beans, the beans are cooked first with onion, green chili, garlic, tomato, bay leaf, touch of cumin and oregano, salt, and dry wine; before they soften completely, the raw rice is added, letting them cook together, until they consume the broth and the rice is dry and loose. The beans are also prepared in their broth with the rice separate. Dominican Republic: Moro de guandules, rice and pigeon peas, similar to Panama and Puerto Rico dishes El Salvador: Casamiento; despite not having a Caribbean coast, this dish is very typical in El Salvador Ghana: Waakye, a Ghanaian beans and rice dish Guatemala: casado; regionally known as gallo pinto and rice and beans On the Caribbean coast and parts of eastern or