HWN Suggests

In a World Full of Kale, Why Not be a Green Bean?

I’m a lover of all things kale, but lately, I’ve been thinking about green beans: where have they been? Why aren’t they as popular? Why is there a kale craze but no green bean fad? What does kale have that green beans don’t? Green beans are traced back to Peru. Migrating Indian tribes carried them throughout South and Central Americas. “Common beans,” or green beans made their way to Europe with the likes of Spanish explorers who traveled home. Green beans had a debut in the 19th century with their first appearance in French cuisines. Today we can find them at the Thanksgiving Dinner table in a delicious green bean casserole, in the grocery store fresh or frozen, and sometimes in restaurants…

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 Reintroducing green beans

Green beans don’t usually get much attention other than their once-a-year debut in Thanksgiving casseroles. However, their unassuming profile hides some pretty interesting facts! Green beans are the immature pods of dried beans, meant to be grown and eaten unripe. One of the most common garden vegetables in the U.S., green beans grow very quickly and are ready for harvest just 50 to 60 days after planting. Years ago, green beans had a long, stringy fiber running down the side of the pod, hence its nickname, the “string bean.” A plant breeder back in the 19th century decided to cultivate a “stringless” green bean, thus saving kitchen cooks the time and effort of removing the strings! Except for a few heirloom varieties, most green beans today do not have strings. Green beans are also called “snap beans” because they make a “SNAP!” sound when they are broken or bent. Despite their humble profile, green beans have much to offer! Like many vegetables, green beans are low in calories and fat, and rich in fiber. They provide vitamins A and C, which are important for immune functioning, as well as folate, a B vitamin that is needed by our bodies to make DNA.

Articles of Interest

Afternoon Snack: Slightly Salty, Super Crunchy Green Beans

Do you like green beans? I saw a bag of salted baked green beans at the grocery store the other day and I thought, I could totally make those. So I gave it a try...

Biohack Your Blood Sugar with Cooked Green String Beans

Green beans are a beloved vegetable packed with vitamins and minerals. However, for those concerned about their blood sugar levels, the carb content of green beans can be a surprise. Cooked green string beans have a combination of simple and complex carbs that can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. But fear not; there is a way to optimize their nutritional value to avoid this issue.

Five Ways to Eat Green Beans

To prove their versatility, here are five out-of-the-ordinary ideas for cooking with green beans, each from a different world culture

Go Green: The Healthy Benefits Of Green Beans

Green beans were first grown in Latin America about 8,000 years ago. Christopher Columbus, and other explorers, discovered green beans planted next to maize. Green beans originally had a very thick “string” running along the outer curve of the pod, leading to their nickname of “string beans”. Scientists discovered a way to grow green beans without the string in 1894. Green beans are also sometimes called “snap beans”, as they snap when you bend them in half. There are 130 different varieties of green beans, and they can also be white, purple, golden, and red.

Grab Some Green Beans For Flavor and Nutrition

Green beans, also known as string beans, are a popular veggie in the United States. They are available year round, but especially plentiful in spring and summer. Green beans are one of only a few varieties of beans that can be eaten fresh (most beans are dried, such as black beans and garbanzo beans). In addition to their fresh flavor, green beans are a healthy addition to your diet. They are fat free, sodium free, cholesterol free, low in calories, a good source of fiber, and a good source of Vitamin C.

Green beans

Green beans, also called runner beans, string (or stringless) beans, French beans or snap beans, are unripe pods of the bean plant and are always eaten whole – the pod with the little beans inside. You may think they’re rich in protein because, well, all beans are, but not in this case. The tiny beans inside the pods are not fully developed so a cup of cooked green beans (135 grams) contains only two grams of protein – useful but not a big deal. Can you eat raw green beans? You can try but you may regret it. Like all beans, raw green beans contain lectin, a protein that helps to protect the bean plant. There’s a theory that lectins evolved as a defence mechanism which animals are able to smell and so avoid eating bean plants.

Harvest of the Month: Green Beans

Green beans are a green vegetable that also sometimes come in other colors, like purple, yellow, or even stripes. While they may be a popular dish on the Thanksgiving table, green beans actually grow best during the summer months when the weather is warm, as they don't tolerate freezing temperatures. Green beans are usually available by the month of June, and they are one of summer's staples that continues to remain abundant throughout the season.

Health Benefits of Green Beans: So Good for You!

String beans. Green beans. Snap beans. Not only is this native vegetable healthier than you may realize, but also they give back to the soil! Here are 5 health benefits of green beans. Go green! Whatever you call ‘em, green beans are the immature form of the common kidney-shaped bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, harvested before beans begin forming inside the pods.

Squeaky Green Beans: A Struggle with Vegetables

I was a sophomore in college when I ate fresh green beans for the first time, I was shocked by the squeaky noise they made when chewing and how much jaw strength it took for me to eat them. I didn’t like them; they were nothing like the soft semi-salty canned green beans that I was accustomed to eating. It was also around this time that I tasted artichoke, collard greens, beets and spinach.

The Health Benefits of Green Beans

Green beans, also called string beans, are a healthy ingredient that often makes an appearance as a side dish on holiday tables. However, these mild-tasting beans deserve to be part of your diet all year round because of their high nutritional content and versatility. They can be eaten raw as a snack, steamed, roasted, chopped and added to soups and stews, stir-fries, pasta dishes, and more.

What to Know About Green Beans

Green beans, also called string beans, are one of the most popular vegetables in the U.S. They’re a delicious side dish that appears at family get-togethers, holidays, and weeknight dinners. Whether they’re sautéed, steamed, blanched, canned, or frozen, green beans are a delicious and healthy choice.

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Medical Medium

Green beans are a nutritious vegetable that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients such as vitamins A & C, calcium, iron, manganese, beta-carotene, and protein.