By eating more green beans, there is a possibility to reduce the chance of developing colon cancer and heart diseases. Plus, you might be able to control your cholesterol levels which can prove useful for regulating diabetes.
Furthermore, by adding green beans to your everyday diet, you can get rid of the harmful free radicals and improve the immune system. These are all major benefits that can positively affect your overall health.
Green beans are full of nutrients that can help regulate the digestive system. With a low-calorie diet, you can surely consume more vitamins and minerals that can help lose weight. Also, these beans might be able to reduce the chance of birth defects for pregnant women.
The Benefits of Eating Green Beans
Whether you choose to eat green beans, string or snap beans, you won’t make a mistake. They are all low in calories and fat-free. Furthermore, they are rich with fiber which can be highly beneficial for lowering the cholesterol levels.
Here are a few reasons why you should start adding beans to your meals today.
Vitamin K
If you consume a lot of vitamin K, you can strengthen your bones. Therefore, consuming only calcium is not enough. By eating green beans, you can prevent the loss of minerals and manage the metabolism of your bones.
As a result, vitamin K is crucial for maintaining bone density. If you are wondering how much you should consume, it is safe to say that men need 120 micrograms of vitamin K, while women need only 90 daily.
So, one cup of boiled string beans has 20 micrograms of vitamin K.
Improved Vision
String beans might not show it, but they have the same amount of pigments that the red, orange and yellow vegetables have.
Therefore, they can function as antioxidants. Plus, string beans contain zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and lutein, which are all essential for protecting the eye, night vision and improving the health of the eyes.
Vitamin C
Beans are potent antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals and prevent further damage to any healthy cells. In addition, they shield fats, DNA, carbohydrates, and proteins from free radicals. However, if your body lacks vitamin C, it won’t be able to produce enough collagen.
As a result, your body will have no support over the skin, tendons, bones, and organs. Therefore, try eating at least a cup of boiled string beans every day.
How to Prepare Green Beans
If you are trying to grow your own beans, you should know not to pick them when they are immature. This means that the beans are not ripe because they haven’t formed the inner juices yet. When they are ripe for the picking, wash them properly and rip both ends.
To cook them, put the beans in a pot and boil them for 5 minutes before placing them in the microwave. It is not a good idea to directly microwave fresh green beans because it can dry them and damage the fibers.
Therefore, the best idea is to keep boiling or steaming them until they are ready to eat. Plus, you can even add them to mushroom soup, green bean casserole, fried onion, or any meal for that matter.
There are many people who add them to salads or braze the beans with garlic, pepper and pine nuts.
What are your choices? How do you like to eat your beans? Tell us your ideas or favorite bean recipe and leave a comment.
Source: Gardening Channel | Live Strong | Organic Facts
