Of the green bean it could be said that it is vegetable on the outside and legume on the inside. This paradoxical description expresses a curiosity about this healthy food, since, although it is botanically considered a legume, it is eaten like a vegetable.
It constitutes one more example of the food incorporations to the Mediterranean diet throughout its history, characterized by its ability to integrate new products and thus have given rise to a food space of extraordinary cultural mixing.
Indeed, green beans come, according to most historians, from the American continent, specifically from Central and South America, and were fully incorporated into the European diet in the 16th century.
From a botanical point of view, the green bean is the pod of a climbing plant that has been harvested before the seeds complete their maturation. For this reason, although botanically it is considered a legume, It is consumed and treated like a vegetable.
Once mature, the pods lose nutritional value and only the seeds are used in a fresh or dry state. So it is consumed as a legume.
Properties of green beans
It has few calories (35 cal/100 g), since in its composition there is a high percentage of watera (90%) and barely contains fat (0.6%). The rest is made up of carbohydrates (4.2%) and a small proportion of proteins (1.9%), which make it an easily digestible food.
In addition, it has a notable contribution in fiber. These virtues are reinforced by its powerful diuretic effect, thanks to its richness in potassium and its low sodium content.
Green beans are especially rich in vitamin C. (23.4 mg/100 g), although also in vitamins of group B, like the B6 (0.22 mg) and the B9 or folic acid (60 mcg).
Health benefits of green beans
Also called tender bean, it is an ideal food to include in cleansing and weight loss diets.
Control sugar and cholesterol
The soluble fiber of the young bean exerts a very positive effect on sugar levels in the body, as it regulates the speed with which sugars pass into the blood, slowing down the process.
Likewise, fiber regulates cholesterol by facilitating its elimination during digestion.
For these reasons, this food should be included in the diet of those people who have digestive problems. hypercholesterolemia or hyperglycemia, since it would help them, in a simple way, to cope with their illness.
Among the health problems that we can preventively influence with a healthy diet are cardiovascular processes such as arteriosclerosisexcess weight that becomes a gateway for these and many other diseases.
Its ability to prevent cardiovascular diseases is also reinforced by its high content of vitamin C, beta-carotene and others. antioxidant compounds.
Against hypertension and fluid retention
On the other hand, its richness in potassium and its low sodium content favors the elimination of excess fluid in the body and it is very beneficial in case you suffer from hypertension, gout or kidney stones.
Furthermore, the presence of the amino acid arginine in green beans Helps in urinary tract disorders such as cystitis.
Prevents oxidation
Their richness in micronutrients and fiber make them an important food group in the fights oxidative stress of the body and in the prevention of disorders secondary to digestive dysfunctions.
Oxidative stress is at the basis of many of the most prevalent diseases in our environment and the process of aging human.
strong bones
The presence of silicon in green beans has been correlated with a better bone density at maturity. Silicon is important for the formation of skeletal mass.
green bean in the kitchen
Its natural season in our country covers from the month of May to October, period during which its quality is optimal.
However, greenhouse cultivation, frozen varieties and even canned varieties allow you to enjoy them all year round.
Basically two varieties are marketed: those with wide pods and those with narrower ones cylindrical in shape, which contrasts with the flattened appearance of the previous ones.
It is advisable to choose beans very fresh and eat them in a few days, since their sugars are consumed immediately. For this reason, and because of their subtropical origin, they do not keep well in the cold of the refrigerator, and they lose sweetness easily.
They should not be consumed raw. because they contain a substance called phaseolin with a certain toxic capacity that disappears with cooking.
How to prepare
The green bean is very undemanding in the kitchen, because by washing it and cutting the ends it can be enjoyed at its peak. a few minutes of cooking.
With a splash of good olive oil, a simple vinaigrette or mayonnaise, we have it dressed to accompany any menu or serve as a starter.
This vegetable does well with quick stir-fries, which can be made in a wok in the traditional way.
Green beans can also be boiled in water. Just cook them, with the saucepan uncovered, for a few 10 or 12 minutes depending on the variety, and add the salt at the end so that it does not harden.