Green Beans: Nutrition Facts and 7 Super Health Benefits

“If there’s one vegetable which is God-given, it’s the haricot bean.” Yes, it’s a true saying and we’ll learn how it is nutritious. Haricot bean or green beans are herbaceous plant grown worldwide. It is an edible plant and equally admired all over the world. But, most of the people are unaware of the health benefits of this popular veggies. This article covers the nutrition facts and health benefits of green beans.

Green beans are a remarkable source of nutrients. The high protein content of these legumes has made them an alternative to meat. No matter how you’re going to eat them -either raw or cooked- they are nutritious. Not only fruits, but people eat their straws and leaves also as food. Here we’re going to discuss the nutrition facts of green beans.

Nutrition Facts of Green Beans:

An excellent combination of nutrients makes green beans a well -balanced diet. According to the USDA database, 100g raw green beans contain 31KCal of energy, 1.83g protein, 0.22g fats, 6.97g Carbohydrates, 2.7g dietary fibres, and no cholesterol. Moreover, they have a decent combination of minerals. They contain 37mg Calcium, 1.03mg Iron, 25mg Magnesium, 38mg Phosphorus, 211mg Potassium, 6mg Sodium, 0.24mg zinc, 0.069mg copper, 0.216mg manganese, 19mcg Fluoride, and 0.6mcg Selenium. In terms of Vitamins, they contain 12.2mg Vitamin C, 0.141mg Vitamin B-6, 35mcg Vitamin A, and 43mcg Vitamin K (phylloquinone). As far as fatty acids are concerned, they contain 0.05g total saturated fatty acids, 0.01g monounsaturated fatty acids, and 0.113g polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Health Benefits of Green Beans:

Adding legumes in the diet helps you to reduce the risks of adverse health. Nutrient content of green beans makes them a fantastic health benefiting source. Let’s learn these health benefits in details.

Heart Healthy Diet:

Although it’s hard to believe, green beans have no cholesterol. It is a blessing because high cholesterol leads to deposit fat in arteries. It ultimately decreases blood flow to your heart and is a potential cause of heart attack.

Soluble fibres in these beans also help to reduce LDL or bad cholesterol. Less LDL reduces the overall cholesterol level of the body and supports heart health.

According to the American Heart Association, less than 1500mg intake of sodium is healthy for the heart. Green beans naturally contain 6mg sodium per 100g serving.

It’s always arduous to decide what you must eat if you’re a heart patient. Intake of beans reduces the risk of coronary heart risk. The credit of this health benefit goes to the fibre content of green beans.

A delicate amount of magnesium in beans also helps to promote heart health. A balanced cholesterol level is necessary for your heart and overall body. Green beans are naturally low in cholesterol. It helps to maintain blood pressure level and controls blood vessels function. Therefore, it is a friendly diet for heart patients.

Low FODMAP Food:

FODMAP -undigested carbohydrates- may cause cramps, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diarrhoea. Green beans naturally contain low FODMAP. Therefore, people with digestive issues enjoy this diet too.

Improve vision:

Antioxidants are undeniably healthy for your health. They fight against free radicals. Free radicals stole the electrons from other cells of the body to become stable. As a result, the organs get damage. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the antioxidants that maintain vision health. Studies have found that nutrients in beans help to prevent cataracts. Moreover, it reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Intake of these antioxidants increases the macular pigment optical density. In addition to it, green beans improve the night vision.

Rich source of Vitamins:

Green beans contain essential vitamins. Vitamins should cover the vital portion of our diet. And here’s the reason why you should eat them! Vitamin A in green beans is helpful for healthy vision and immune health.

Folate -Vitamin B- helps to reduce neural tube and congenital disorders.

One cup of green beans contains 25% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to boost immunity in your body against infectious disease. Also, it is an antioxidant that prevents the body from damages of free radicals.

An adequate amount of Vitamin K protects you from getting a fractured bone. Furthermore, it helps in modifying bone matrix protein.

Improve Bone Health:

Beans contain the essential minerals that are necessary for your body. Calcium, magnesium, manganese, and iron make the beans incredibly nutritious. We all know that calcium is vital for bones. Green beans also contain Vitamin K that builds strong bones along with calcium. In addition to it, vitamin K helps to maintain bone matrix. It also improves the absorption of calcium in bones. People with a low density of Vitamin K in their blood mostly experience Osteoporosis.

Green beans contain manganese that helps to boost metabolic activities in your body and also support bone health.

Reduce the risk of cancer:

Legumes are the well-off source of protein and fibres. A diet with high fibre content can help you to reduce the risk of cancer. And here is the best option! Add beans in your diet as they are the substitute for meat. The green beans are also well known for their low glycemic index. The glycemic index of food helps you to understand how a particular food increases the blood sugar level. And it’s good to reduce the risk of cancer. Moreover, tocopherols and phytosterols in green beans have anti-carcinogenic properties. So, you must add beans in your diet for their anti-cancerous properties.

Manage depression:

Depression is the most common mental illness nowadays. Although vegetables and fruits reduce the risk of depression, legumes are unmatched. Vitamins and minerals are the reason why beans are necessary for the brain’s health. Vitamin B and C are well-known to promote mental health. Magnesium and zinc increase the production of neurotransmitter.

Amino acids -tyrosine and glutamine- improves your body’s amino acid profile. So, it helps in increasing the functioning of the brain. Chromium in green beans is essential for treating depression.

Risks:

Although beans are nutritious, there are some side-effects too. Food rich in Vitamin K may play a key role in blood clotting. Green beans also contain a lectin that causes the problem in the digestive system by binding with carbohydrates. People experiencing such issues should check with their doctor before consuming green beans.

Conclusion:

Green beans are popular food worldwide. An excellent combination of nutrients with no calories makes it a healthy diet. It is highly rich in fibres, proteins, and minerals. Naturally, it’s a low FODMAP food. It helps to make our bone strong. Moreover, it manages depression. Green beans are a proper diet to achieve health benefits. But people experiencing digestive issues should consult their doctors. Overall, it’s an essential part of a well-balanced diet.