String beans: health benefits and harms

A light and tasty snack made from green beans has become very popular among supporters of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Young beans is a storehouse of nutrients and has almost no contraindications, which is why it is even included in the children's and dietary diet. What valuable properties this product has and how to use it, we will tell in more detail.

The chemical composition of green beans

The high dietary value of asparagus bean lies in the valuable natural components with which it is rich.

1. It contains useful vegetable proteins necessary for the healthy functioning of the body.
2. The high content of dietary fiber provides cleansing of the intestines and normalization of peristalsis.
3. Complex carbohydrates provide energy for the whole day.

A rich vitamin composition allows you to maintain the body and immunity in shape. Beans contain:

1. B vitamins necessary for nervous regulation and good metabolism.
2. Vitamin K, providing normal blood coagulation.
3. Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which promote cell regeneration, support excellent vision and inhibit the development of inflammatory processes.
4. The strongest antioxidant is vitamin C, which strengthens and cleanses cells.
5. Vitamin E, which affects reproductive ability and keeps the skin beautiful and supple.

The mineral composition of young beans is represented by:

1. Magnesium that supports the health of the nervous system.
2. Calcium is necessary for the proper functioning of the heart and maintaining the strength of bones and horn tissue.
3. Potassium, stimulating the kidneys and normal heart rate.
4. Iron and copper, which are involved in hematopoiesis and support normal digestion.
5. Zinc, necessary for healthy skin and hormonal balance.
6. Sulfur that protects the body from poisoning.
7. Phosphorus, which is involved in nervous regulation, as well as manganese and other useful components.

It is important to know that green beans are rich in antioxidants, as well as arginine, an enzyme that helps lower blood sugar, so it can be consumed with diabetes.

Nutritional value and calorie content

Green beans, that is, young, not yet ripened pods, have a very low calorie content - only 25-30 kcal per 100 grams. It has almost no fat, but enough protein and complex carbohydrates. Ripening, as well as during heat treatment, grains gain calories, this must be taken into account when drawing up a diet.

If you cook asparagus beans with butter, its energy value will increase significantly: when fried, up to 170 kcal, and in stew, up to 130 kcal. The right combination of products will benefit: thanks to oils, fat-soluble vitamins will be better absorbed, so beans can be safely prepared in a creamy sauce or under vegetable oil.

It is also important to know that beans contain specific toxic compounds: like all plants, legumes protect their fruits. These poisons disintegrate during heat treatment, so you can’t eat beans in raw form, and you need to cook or steam for at least 15–20 minutes.

Useful properties of green beans

General benefit

Green beans are useful for general healing and body cleansing. Its constant use in food will allow you to feel lightness, less distracted by a feeling of hunger, to replenish the reserves of minerals in the body.

1. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea, intestinal upset and poisoning.
2. Contributes to the fight against colds and increases the body's resistance.
3. Strengthens the health of organs, stimulates the rejuvenation of tissues, removes toxins from the body, supporting the work of the kidneys.
4. Strengthens nerves, helps restore the body after stress, hard work, emotional upheaval.
5. Supports heart function and vascular system.
6. Accelerates metabolism and helps burn excess deposits.
7. Increases skin and muscle elasticity, accelerates regeneration processes.
8. Supports a healthy blood composition.

The components of asparagus beans are natural for the body, so they are easily digested. However, overeating this product may slow the absorption of certain nutrients.

Note! Thanks to fiber, green beans establish healthy digestion, so it is useful in the diet at any age.

For women

Women strive for harmony, so they are more often interested in diets for weight loss. Green beans are an excellent way to lose a few pounds, while remaining energetic and vigorous. Women living in an active rhythm will appreciate the ability of asparagus pods to saturate the body, suppressing hunger and allowing them to go about their business, forgetting about stress seizing.

Also for women, the property of beans to balance the emotional state and maintain hormonal balance is relevant. With regular use of legumes, girls experience less mood swings during menstruation and menopause, as well as during pregnancy.

For men

Men need zinc, which is rich in green beans, to prevent impotence and maintain prostate health. Regular inclusion of the product in the diet strengthens the heart and blood vessels, which is also very important for men who are more likely to suffer from cardiac diseases. Beans will help maintain a healthy metabolism and feel more strength during training.

For pregnant and lactating

For women in position and nursing mothers, string beans are just a find in nutrition. It is very easily absorbed, without burdening the body, it contains a lot of nutrients necessary for the development of the fetus and improving the quality of milk, and also reduces bad cholesterol, which should not enter the body of the child.

Beans will help to cope with mood swings, nausea during pregnancy, reduce the risk of constipation and hemorrhoids, help to avoid the formation of age spots on the skin. But you need to be careful: sometimes legumes cause allergic reactions, because of which you will have to abandon the product.

At what age can be given string beans to children

It is green green beans, which practically does not cause allergies and indigestion, that can be given to babies in the form of mashed potatoes already from 8–10 months of age. The main thing is to boil the pods well and grind them into gruel. 1 teaspoon of bean puree in combination with other vegetables will be enough for the child. You can give beans 2 times a week.

Be sure to monitor the reaction of the child's body. If you get allergies, postpone acquaintance with the vegetable.

String Beans in Medicine

Official medicine suggests introducing green beans into the diet for healing and warns against which diseases should not be consumed. So, they recommend eating beans with cardiovascular diseases, as well as with inflammatory processes.

With diabetes

Young fiber beans help burn excess body fat and also reduce blood sugar by up to 40%, which is why it is recommended for patients with diabetes as a good base product. It not only helps to relieve the main symptoms of the disease, but also improves the condition of the skin, increasing its elasticity, supports normal vision and blood pressure.

Important: glycemic index of green beans - 30 units.

With pancreatitis

With inflammation of the pancreas and other digestive organs, beans are not recommended. However, there is a useful recipe for beans infusion: 50 grams of dry raw material is poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water and insisted for 10-12 hours in a thermos. The dose is calculated individually, for this it is necessary to consult a doctor.

With gastritis

Those who suffer from acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are not recommended to get involved in dishes with green beans. In small quantities, the product does not harm, but can irritate sensitive mucous membranes, so before introducing it into the diet, you need to discuss nutrition with a doctor.

Recipes of traditional medicine based on green beans

Ripe bean pods are recognized by alternative medicine as effective agents in the treatment of many diseases. It can help with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis with low acidity, inflammatory diseases of the gallbladder and liver. Beans help with high blood pressure, weakness of the heart muscle, rheumatism. Not only the fruit bodies of the bean are used, but also the wings, in which many useful substances are accumulated.

Pancreatitis
In case of problems with the pancreas, a decoction of bean leaves is effective, from which the inflammatory process decreases, the patient's well-being improves. The broth can bring special benefits to people who simultaneously suffer from pancreatitis and diabetes.

Recipe:

1. Take 50 g of dry leaves (from ripe beans), pour them into a thermos.
2. Boil 0.5 liters of water, pour it into a thermos.
3. Infuse the mixture should be within 10 hours.
4. Strain, shake well before use.

The dose should be discussed with the attending physician who prescribes the main treatment.

Diabetes
Not only alternative, but also official medicine recognize string beans as effective for diabetes. It is used as an additional treatment method to the main one - medication. It is proved that already 10 hours after using tincture or juice, the sugar content in the blood is reduced to 40%. Under the influence of the beneficial substances of beans, the body produces insulin, and sugar turns into glycogen.

For healing, a solution with a high concentration of active components is used:

1. Take 3 cups of dry leaves, chop them.
2. Pour the resulting dry base with 3 cups of water.
3. Bring to a boil, cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
4. Strain the broth, take 100 g four times a day for half an hour before eating.

To use this tool, you must consult a doctor.

With diseases of the cardiovascular system
The infusion of the valves is recommended to take to restore the normal functioning of the circulatory system. To do this, take 1 large spoonful of dry stems and add a glass of hot water to it. You need to let the product stand for half an hour and consume one third of a glass before eating.

Bean juice for bursitis or mastopathy
String beans perfectly fights these diseases, especially in the early stages. It eliminates redness and inflammation. It is necessary to take bean juice 2 times a day, 100 ml for 2 weeks. The healing effects of this remedy will not take long.

String Beans for Weight Loss: Benefits and Applications

Due to the fact that beans in pods are rich in valuable vegetable proteins and fiber, the product is actively used in dietary nutrition. It helps cleanse the intestines and restores a healthy metabolism. In addition, it helps to quickly saturate with meals and feel cheerful all day.

Legumes are easily digested and allow you to get rid of the feeling of heaviness or heartburn that many people have when eating meat products. Beans are highly recommended on wellness diets:

1. Diabetics and obese people to normalize blood composition and metabolism, as well as a nutritious substitute for high-calorie foods.
2. People with heart attacks and diseases of the cardiovascular system to replace cholesterol food and reduce the burden on the body.
3. In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract to normalize peristalsis and maintain normal acidity.
4. Vegetarians who voluntarily refuse meat, egg, dairy products.
5. Children for the growth and development of the body.
6. When losing weight, especially on low-carb diets to maintain energy.
7. In sports nutrition, for drying and gaining healthy muscle mass, many trainers recommend using this product.

Eating green beans helps to cleanse the body, has an antioxidant effect, and therefore a rejuvenating effect. Beans are actively used in diets to unload the body, during the transition to a healthy lifestyle and for weight loss.

Typically, this product is replaced with fatty meat and some egg components, since beans, like them, contain a full range of vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy body, while beans have much less calories.

Thanks to the beans, appetite is normalized, traces of body fatigue disappear, skin condition, general well-being and mood improve, and the nervous system is strengthened. That is why green beans are indispensable after the winter depression of the body.

Eating vegetable protein foods is recommended in the morning, during the first meal or at lunch, otherwise healthy proteins will be less absorbed. Breakfast with beans allows you to stay full for a long time and increase productivity during the working day, and increase endurance during training.

What can be cooked from green beans

As a dietary product, string beans are steamed: so it retains all the useful components and comes in optimal condition for digestion. When cooking, the product loses some of the valuable substances, so green beans are usually only picked up in boiling water. Steam beans contain a minimum of calories, but it is usually served with the addition of oil and spices.

To cook delicious beans, you can stew it with other vegetables in the sauce. Beans go well with broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, salads, carrots, celery, corn and other ingredients. In addition, delicious slices are added to the first courses: vegetable soups with smoked meats and hodgepodge.

Indian Bean Recipe

Pods are cut into slices and stewed with pieces of homemade panir and carrots. Turmeric, garlic and a little ginger are added to the dish.

Green Bean Omelet

Pods are cut very finely on the diagonal, do the same with leeks, chop dill greens. Vegetables are fried in oil and poured with beaten eggs. Sprinkle the dish with herbs and, if desired, decorate with tomatoes.

Hearty Beans with Mushrooms

Slices of asparagus bean stew with onions, separately fry the mushrooms and mix them with vegetables. The dish is seasoned with rosemary and lemon juice.

How to prepare green beans for the winter

One of the additional valuable qualities of asparagus green beans is the convenience of harvesting it. The product can be stored for a long time to enjoy healthy beans year-round. To preserve the maximum beneficial properties and vitamins, the crop is frozen, but you can also preserve beans at home without much hassle.

Freezing

To keep the product fresh for a long time, you can store the pods in the freezer.To do this, the beans are sorted and washed from plaque. It is best to freeze the pods intact: then they will definitely not fade, do not discolour, and remain useful. If you like to prepare vegetables for stews, you can cut the pods into pieces of 2-3 cm.

The raw materials are placed in a container or spread out on a film in open form and placed in the freezer for several hours. After complete freezing, you can collect the beans in a bag or close in a container and store at a temperature of about -18 ºC degrees. After defrosting the beans will be as fresh.

Canning

Asparagus beans can be prepared for the winter to store at room temperature. To do this, it can be salted or cooked in sauce. In the first case, a semi-finished product is obtained. It is necessary to sort and rinse the beans, cut into 2-3 cm slices and prepare the brine, like peas: only salt and water. Some housewives add a pinch of sugar to complete the taste. Neither spices nor acid are needed in this case. Beans are brewed with brine and rolled into sterile jars.

Another option is pickling in Korean. To do this, chopped pods are generously sprinkled with seasonings and vinegar, and then closed in jars. Beans can be combined with carrots, wheat sprouts and soy products.

The third way is stew. Beans are stewed in a sweet tomato sauce with garlic, onions and spices. The result is a flavored appetizer in the vein of lecho, lobio or sote. This yummy is closed for the winter: it perfectly complements the festive table and is suitable for every day.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the fact that green beans carries a lot of useful properties, sometimes it causes individual discomfort. If you are prone to bean protein allergies, you should try the product with caution. Also, in the slagged intestines, beans often cause bloating and gas.

Leguminous varieties are notable for the increased content of rather coarse fiber, which can cause a feeling of heaviness. In addition, legumes are not recommended to be combined with other starchy foods: flour and potato dishes, as well as meat, then the digestion process will be much easier.

Direct contraindications apply to people with renal failure, nephritis, cystitis and gastrointestinal diseases - in such cases, you should consult your doctor. But in general, the product is considered safe and dietary, which is why it is so popular in healthy eating programs around the world.

How to choose and store green beans

So that you don’t get a product grown with the addition of heavy fertilizers on your table, buy asparagus beans only in the summer - during the season of the natural harvest. If possible, of course, it is better to plant your own green beds with healthy beans.

When choosing, be sure to pay attention to the condition of the pods:

1. The beans should not have dark spots and damage, a characteristic spider web coating from the fungus.
2. The pods should beat fresh and juicy, uniform green (or yellow - depending on the variety).
3. Green beans are sold young, so its peel is quite fleshy, but there are varieties that sell dried. Dried crust boats will have to be thrown away, freeing the grain.
4. On the pods there must necessarily be stalks, no cracks and breaks.

Fresh pods are stored in the refrigerator, in a vegetable container in a bag, separate from other vegetables. It is permissible to store beans with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, but not earthen root crops. The green product may lie for 5-7 days, after which the beans will dry out and become stiff, therefore, if you are not going to cook the vegetable in the near future, it is better to freeze it.

Dry varieties can be stored in linen bags or in a bank in a dry place. But bean dishes do not deteriorate for a long time, so they can be prepared on the basis of several servings.

Interesting facts about green beans

In the ancient world, beans were cultivated on several continents: in Egypt, China, America. It was brought to Europe as a garden ornamental plant and only in the 18th century began to use its beans for food. The green beans in the pods were first tried by Italians, always famous for their balanced cuisine.

The younger the pods, the fatter and juicier the walls of their crusts are, and when the beans swell in this nutrient medium, the skin will dry out and become thinner. Cereal beans are rich in starch and more high-calorie, while fresh young “ponytails” contain pure proteins, healthy compounds and water.

Light food can be used in mono-diets, since green pods contain a basic complex of vitamins and minerals, while not bothering in the diet and are easily digested.

If you have not yet added asparagus beans to your diet, be sure to try them for a change, and perhaps they will become your favorite treat.

Photo of String Beans