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Green beans nutrition facts

Tender, flexible green beans are delight of vegetarian lovers for their wholesome nutritional qualities. They are the unripe or immature pods obtained from bean plant that belongs to common fabaceae family and known scientifically as Phaseolus vulgaris.

Broadly, tender beans are classified depending on their growth habits as "bush beans" which stand erect without support and "Pole Beans"  that need climb supports. The other varieties of unripe fruits of beans family include Shell beans, Pinto or mottled beans, White beans, Red or kidney beans, Black beans, Pink beans and Yellow beans. All most all the varieties are available year around across the world.

Health benefits of Green beans

• Fresh green beans are very low in calories (31 kcal per 100 g of raw beans) and contain no saturated fat; but are very good source of vitamins, minerals and plant derived micro-nutrients.

• They are very rich source of dietary fiber (9% per100g RDA) which acts as bulk laxative that helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon. Dietary fiber has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids in the colon.

• Green beans contain excellent levels of vitamin A, and many health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene in good amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease process.

• Zea xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid in the beans, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. Therefore, it is helpful in preventing age related macular disease (ARMD) of the eyes in old age.

• Fresh snap beans are good source of folates. Folates diet during preconception periods and during pregnancy helps prevent from neural-tube defects in the  offsprings.

• It is also contain good amounts of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals.

• They also contain good amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium which are very essential for body metabolism. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Potassium is important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Selection and storage

Raw fresh green beans, also called as snap beans or French beans, should be tender, long, stiff but flexible and give snap sound when broken. Buy them from organic stores for their rich “beany” flavor.

Wash raw beans in saline water to rid off sand and soil and remove moisture before packing them in an air tight plastic pouch and storing in the refrigerator. Just before using, remove the strings and trim the ends.

Culinary use

Steamed or stew fried beans are increasingly being used in green salad with dash of olive oil and fish.

They are used in popular vegetable dishes like rice pulao and curries in Indian subcontinent.

Safety profile

Green beans contain oxalic acid, a naturally occurring substance found in some vegetables which may crystallize as oxalate stones in the urinary tract in some people. It is therefore, people with known oxalate urinary tract stones are advised to avoid eating vegetables belong to brassica and fabaceae family. Adequate intake of water is therefore advised to maintain normal urine output in these individuals to minimize the stone risk.(Medical disclaimer)

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