Green beans, also known as French beans, string beans, or snap beans. They are a kind of vegetable that is long, string-like, and contains seeds within the pod. Beans are one of the healthiest vegetables. They may be sautéed with a buttery garlic combination, thrown in a lemony garlic salad, boiled, roasted, or eaten plain. Certain people consume them raw, although there are some disadvantages to doing so. This article will discuss whether or not you can eat raw green beans.
Why Can’t You Eat Raw Green Beans?
You can eat raw green beans, but only in small amounts. This is because green beans fall into the category of legumes, and like other legumes, raw green beans contain lectin. Lectin is a protein that acts as a natural insecticide in plants and therefore does not get broken down easily after indigestion. Because of this, eating food with high amounts of lectin can cause digestion problems, and lead to other ailments like vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. So, although you can eat green beans raw in small amounts, it is best to avoid them uncooked as they can be potentially harmful.
Healthiest Way To Eat Green Beans?
Often when you cook vegetables, some of the nutrients get lost. However, in the case of green beans, it is best to eat them cooked. Cooking the beans deactivates the protein, lectin, thus allowing easy digestion. Furthermore, cooking the beans increases the antioxidant levels and has a more preferable taste.
There are multiple ways you can enjoy green beans:
- After washing them thoroughly, you can boil them in a pot of salted water.
- You can bake them after rubbing them with seasonings, like salt and pepper.
- You can steam it as well; simply, add it to a steamer, and let it cook thoroughly.
- Last, but not least, you can sauté raw green beans with a bit of butter.
Watch one of the best recipe’s for green beans:
Benefits Of Eating Raw Green Beans
When you eat raw green beans in small amounts, the benefits tend to outweigh the adverse effects.
Aside from this, eating raw green beans contains:
- High levels of fiber: Raw green beans contain high levels of fiber which aids in maintaining blood sugar levels as well as weight
- Vitamin A: Vitamin A is essential for boosting our immune system health, and is a key nutrient in boosting eyesight
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C is great for boosting immune health, as well as repairing and developing body tissues. One of its benefits is that it helps absorb iron well
- Vitamin K: Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting
- Magnesium: Magnesium is great for maintaining blood sugar levels, aiding in good heart health, and helps with hormone imbalance, and reducing inflammation
Related article: Best Multivitamin For Teens | How To Eat Healthy Food Everyday
Green Beans Benefit Skin, Hair, And Weight Loss
Green beans are great for weight loss because they are rich in fibers, and fiber-rich food items tend to keep you fuller, thus you eat less, and in the long run, lose weight. Green beans are also great for the skin because they contain vitamin C, which gets rid of wrinkles and helps absorb iron, which is good for hair growth. The vitamin A in the beans can help prevent skin conditions like acne.
Substitute Of Green Beans
Green beans can be substituted for:
- Asparagus
- Wax beans
- Peas
- Yardlong beans
- Lentils
What To Serve With?
Green beans may be eaten with a variety of foods, such as grilled meats like steak and chicken, combined into casseroles and meatloaf, or used in stews and soups.
Try these recipes with green beans:
