Boost your health in a snap with these delicious green legumes.
Beyond their culinary versatility, green beans are packed with nutrients that offer many health benefits.
They are filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that make them ideal for regular consumption.
Photo:PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN HUNT GLAZE, FOOD STYLIST: MARGARET MONROE DICKEY, PROP STYLIST: SHELL ROYSTER
Keep reading to learn more about how regularly consuming green beans can affect your overall health and well-being.
More specifically, vitamin K aids in activating osteocalcin, a protein that plays a role in bone mineralization.
Therefore, green beans are a great option for those following a low-FODMAP diet.
May Improve Your Heart Health
The nutrients in green beans may also benefit your heart health.
Additionally, green beans are filled with powerful plant compounds called flavonoids.
As a result, soluble fiber helps to prevent blood sugar spikes.
Therefore, those with diabetes may benefit from a blood-sugar-stabilizing diet incorporating regular green bean consumption.
Might Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
Green beans might also impart anti-cancer benefits.
In general, green beans are a great source of vitamin K, vitamin C, folate and fiber.
They also contain small amounts of minerals, including iron, magnesium and potassium.
If you want them to last even longer, you may also choose toblanch and freeze them.
Green beans can also be purchased canned for convenience and an extended shelf life.
Once youve found the ideal can, take a peek at the Nutrition Facts label.
Once the water has completely evaporated, it’s possible for you to saute and season to your liking.
For inspiration, try our herbed-infusedGarlic-Butter Green Beans.
Add in additional veggies, your protein of choice and your favorite sauce, and voila!
Youll have an easy and delicious weeknight dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
Give ourSzechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-FryorPork & Green Bean Stir-Frya try.
Check out ourSheet-Pan Orange-Apricot Drumsticksrecipe that incorporates green beans, potatoes and chicken for a nutritious and filling meal.
Bake
What better way to enjoy green beans than in a creamy baked casserole?
Boil
For those who prefer a softer green bean, boiling is ideal.
Try our mouthwateringSoft Green Beansfor a savory side dish.
If green beans are your favorite veggie, by all means, eat them as often as youd like.
They are a great source of vitamin K, vitamin C, folate and fiber.
Both green beans and broccoli are excellent choices to include in a well-balanced diet.
That said, green beans are packed with several key nutrients, making them a nutritious food.
One serving of green beans is considered 1 cup.
Green beans can be consumed raw if desired.
However, they contain compounds calledlectinsthat, when consumed raw, can lead to digestive distress.
For this reason, it may be best to consume cooked green beans instead.
2019;2019:2069176. doi:10.1155/2019/2069176
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
FoodData Central.Beans, snap, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Chaurasia, S.Green beans.
In:Nutritional Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Fruits and Vegetables.
Academic Press; 2020; Chapter 17; pp.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
FoodData Central.Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt.
