Also known as snap beans, French beans, or string beans, green beans are legumes usually harvested while still young and consumed with their beans inside the pods. Learn more about green beans’ nutrition facts below!
They are versatile, inexpensive, and a great source of nutrients, including protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
These nutrients offer great benefits, making green beans a great addition to the diet.
This article tells you more about green bean nutrition and its health benefits.
See Vegan Southern Green Beans And Potatoes, Vegan Green Bean Casserole, and Roasted Green Beans.
Green beans nutrition facts:
The nutrients you should expect from a cup serving (100 g) of green beans include:
- Calories: 31
- Carbohydrates: 7 grams
- Protein: 8 grams
- Fat: 1 gram
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Vitamins C: 3 milligrams, or 27 percent of the daily requirement
- K: 4 micrograms, or 18 percent of the daily requirement
- A: 690 IU, or 14 percent of the daily requirement
- Manganese: 2 milligrams, or 11 percent of the daily requirement
- Folate: 37 micrograms, or 9 percent of the daily requirement
- Thiamine: 1 milligram, or 6 percent of the daily requirement
- Riboflavin: 1 milligram, or 6 percent of the daily requirement
- Iron: 1 milligram, or 6 percent of the daily requirement
- Magnesium: 25 milligrams, or 6 milligrams of the daily requirement
- Potassium: 209 milligrams, or 6 percent of the daily requirement
Green beans are also rich in carotenoids and other antioxidants, making them an excellent addition to your daily nutrition.
Health benefits of green beans:
Green beans are awesome! Not only are they delicious and versatile, but they’re also full of vitamins and minerals that can help you stay healthy. Green beans can help protect against cardiovascular disease, lower your risk of cancer, boost your immune system, and much more! Learn about the many health benefits of green beans below.
1. Lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes
Daily consumption of whole-grain foods and other legumes, including green beans, can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by 35 percent while having one serving per week can lower your risk by 33 percent.
Green beans are generally low Glycemic, meaning they slowly raise blood glucose levels after consumption.
They are also very high in fiber which helps maintain steady glucose levels during digestion.
Researchers found that replacing half a serving of protein (especially those from animal sources) and carbohydrate foods such as rice and potatoes, with legumes could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
As a matter of fact, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared 2016 as the international year of legumes to help raise awareness of their nutritional benefits.
2. May help fight cancer
Regular consumption of green beans has been associated with a low risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers.
Green beans contain high levels of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants. Plants use chlorophyll to get sunlight as well as the nutrients they carry.
In the human body, chlorophyll has been shown to support health by boosting the immune system, promoting blood detoxification, eliminating fungus from the body, getting rid of bad odors, and preventing cancer.
One study found that chlorophyll could lower the occurrence of stomach tumors by 24-45 percent and liver tumors by 29-63 percent.
In a different study, chlorophyll was shown to inhibit the growth of pancreatic tumor cells, leading to a reduction in the size of the tumor.
Additionally, a study in China found that daily consumption of chlorophyll resulted in a 55 percent decrease in aflatoxin biomarkers. Aflatoxins are toxins that may lead to cancer development. They are often produced by a certain fungus commonly found in maize, cottonseed, peanuts, and tree nuts.
Green beans are also rich in other cancer-fighting nutrients such as lutein, vitamin C, vitamin K, resistant starch, and phenolic compounds, which help fight various cancers in the body.
3. They may promote weight loss
Green beans are one of the weight loss-friendly foods you can eat. They are high in fiber and protein and very low in calories, making them ideal for weight loss.
It’s high fiber can help curb hunger hormones and suppress appetite, thus keeping you full longer. This will help lower your calorie intake, which can help you lose weight.
Fiber also slows the release of sugar, which keeps your energy well maintained, preventing any unnecessary urge to snack.
They are also high in protein which promotes earlier satiety, preventing you from overeating and overconsumption of calories.
4. Promote heart health
Green beans are powerful at maintaining heart health due to their high vitamin K and lutein levels.
Lutein is an antioxidant commonly linked to improving eye health. However, it is also beneficial to the heart, and has been associated with aiding against arterial wall hardening.
On the other hand, vitamin K is essential for protecting the arterial lining. This is because it carries calcium out of the arteries, thus preventing it from forming plaques and calcifying the arteries.
Vitamin K also fights inflammation, helps maintain normal blood pressure, and lowers the risk of heart disease.
Another reason why green beans are good for your heart is that they are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber plays a vital role in lowering LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. High cholesterol levels may cause fat deposits within the arteries, leading to plaque formation. This blocks your arteries and prevents smooth blood flow to the heart and other parts of the body, which increases your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, and even heart disease.
Research shows that consuming legumes four times a week or more can lower the risk of developing heart disease by 22 percent compared to eating a single serving per week.
5. They promote digestive health
The anti-inflammatory benefits of green beans protect the gut lining from being damaged, especially when inflammatory foods are regularly consumed.
Also, since a healthy gut microbiome is essential for a healthy digestive system, the fiber in green beans helps feed the bacteria in the gut, causing them to increase in number and thus their health benefits.
6. Boosts brain function
Because green beans are packed with vitamin K, they can be helpful in maintaining memory and cognitive health. It’s thought that vitamin K helps convert tryptophan—an amino acid found in many protein-rich foods—into serotonin, a chemical that sends signals between brain cells. Serotonin can help preserve your ability to learn new things and remember things you’ve learned.
In addition, because green beans are rich in folate (vitamin B9), eating them regularly can also help prevent depression by supporting healthy levels of mood-boosting chemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine. A lack of these chemicals has been linked to symptoms of depression.
Plus, green beans are an excellent source of magnesium, which is important for muscle function and development. Magnesium may also help protect against age-related decline in brain function.
And finally, one cup of cooked green beans contains about 6 percent of your daily iron needs; iron is an essential mineral that’s key for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout your body including the brain. Without enough iron, you could become fatigued or even faint from low blood oxygen levels.
7. Protects eyesight
Green beans are a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that play an important role in eye health. Studies have shown these nutrients help reduce macular degeneration and cataracts, as well as prevent damage to retinal cells and improve visual acuity.
A study published in the journal Ophthalmology found that people who ate a lot of green peas had a decreased risk of developing cataracts compared to those who didn’t eat them. The study participants who ate the most peas had a 42% decreased risk of developing cataracts compared to those who ate the least peas.
To keep your eyes sharp, include green beans in your diet at least once a week.
8. Promotes strong bones
Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become weak and fragile, leading to easy fractures. Green peas are a good source of magnesium, which helps to prevent osteoporosis by maintaining strong and healthy bones.
Green peas are also rich in vitamin K. In fact, it’s one of the best sources of vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for forming various proteins responsible for bone formation and mineralization.
In the past, many people thought that vitamin K was only beneficial in helping prevent blood clots. However, recent research has shown that it may also be effective in preventing osteoporosis.
Studies have shown that people with low levels of vitamin K in their blood are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis. This is because vitamin K helps your bones to absorb calcium which is essential for building strong and healthy bones. Without enough vitamin K, the bones can become thin and weak.
One study found that people who took vitamin K were less likely to experience hip fractures. The study found that the lower fracture rates were largely due to a decrease in bone loss in the spine and hip regions.
Another study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that green peas may help prevent osteoporosis by increasing calcium absorption. The study investigated the effect of green peas on calcium absorption in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the researchers found that green peas increased calcium absorption by up to 47%. In vivo, they found that rats fed a diet supplemented with green peas had significantly higher calcium levels in their bones than rats fed a control diet.
9. Mantains blood sugar levels
Green beans are a great source of fiber, which helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Fiber is also essential for a healthy digestive system, as it helps with nutrient absorption and waste elimination. When blood sugar levels stay consistent throughout your day, you’re less likely to experience energy spikes and subsequent crashes.
10. Boosts the immune system
You probably know that green beans are a good way to get your daily dose of veggies. But did you know that they also help your immune system in a number of ways?
The immune system is the body’s natural defense system. It helps protect us from harmful bacteria and viruses. The immune system works by recognizing and attacking foreign substances (e.g. bacteria, viruses) that are harmful to our health.
If you’re looking for a nutritional boost that will help keep your immune system strong, consider adding green beans to your diet.
Green beans are a great source of antioxidants and other nutrients that support the immune system. These antioxidants help protect cells from damage, which can lead to stronger immunity.
Another benefit of eating green beans is their high concentration of healthy fiber. Fiber helps keep you feeling full and reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.
In addition, fiber in green beans can scavenge toxins and other harmful materials from your intestines, keeping your gut healthy and maintaining your immunity.
11. They can help you look younger
If you’re looking for a way to keep your skin looking young and healthy, you should start incorporating more green beans into your diet. In addition to being high in antioxidants, which can help protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation, green beans are also a good source of vitamin C. This nutrient is responsible for helping the skin produce collagen – a protein that helps keep the skin taut and elastic.
So if you’re looking for an affordable and easy way to fight wrinkles and other signs of aging, start including more green beans into your diet!
Final thoughts on green bean nutrition facts:
Green beans are not just one of the most delicious vegetables but also one of the healthiest! Low in calories, high in fiber and protein, and full of vitamins and minerals – these little guys contain numerous health benefits that make them perfect to add to your diet.
Green beans are an incredible source of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K, and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and zinc.
Regular consumption may help prevent and manage type 2 diabetes, fight cancer, enhance weight loss, promote heart health, and support the digestive system.
They are also easy to acquire and incorporate into the diet.
More green vegetables:
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Thank you for green beans benefits
Great benefits of green beans . thank you for sharing