Learn More about Green Bean Nutrition!
Getting the Basics Down
When you learn about green bean nutrition, you will want to incorporate this delicious food into your meals as often as possible! They provide an excellent source of vitamins and can add some color to just about any meal. They also taste great, especially when they are freshly picked from the garden or purchased from your local farmer’s market. Not to mention they make a great snack, especially for young children who need a lot of energy throughout the day.
Specific Nutrition Information
One serving of green beans whether raw or cooked is half of a cup and contains about 43 calories per serving. However because they are so low in fat (not even 1 gram per serving), you can easily eat multiple servings at a time without having to feel guilty about it. As a naturally cholesterol free food, green beans are considered heart healthy as well. There are 2 grams of fiber found in a serving of green beans which is great for the digestive tract and to help you feel full throughout the day.
Green beans provide a great source of potassium which helps to absorb calcium into the body of which green beans actually provide more than 10% of your daily calcium needs. They are also an exceptional source of vitamins A, C and K which are all known to be effective antioxidants that help to fight free radicals found in the body due to smog, smoking and other carcinogens you might ingest.
A good amount of iron and omega 3 fatty acids are found inside green beans which really rounds out this magical bean. Green beans are also a good source of essential minerals such as copper. Overall these can be considered an extremely healthy food that can aid in weight loss, weight management and diabetes control.
Incorporating Green Beans Into Your Diet
You can add them to your salads, soups and even create a casserole out of them based on the popular thanksgiving recipes found on the Internet. To enjoy them on their own, simply rinse them under cool water and then cut or snap both ends off of each bean. Toss them in just a pinch of salt and enjoy them raw or use a little extra virgin olive oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice to lightly sauté them in a frying pan.
Health Concerns about Green Beans
Green bean nutrition also has a darker side for those that might suffer from kidney problems or gallbladder ailments. This is because green beans contain a high amount of oxalates which are naturally found in plant foods, animals and even in people. However when these oxalates become concentrated in the body’s blood stream, it can cause certain health problems. If you are generally healthy however, you should be able to enjoy all the benefits of eating green beans without having to worry about the minor drawbacks.
References
Nutrican: “Nutrient Analysis for Green Beans” Retrieved August 2, 2010
WHFoods: “About Green Beans” Retrieved August 2, 2010
Image Credits
Flickr/Public Domain