Green beans, also called, string beans and snap beans by some, are great veggies to include in your diet. They are powerful sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. They are also great sources of fiber and folic acid. Eating green beans is pretty similar to eating snap peas or okra as far as nutrition is concerned.
Green beans nutrition
One cup of snap beans (around 150 grams) has a fantastic amount of nutrients:
- 28 calories
- .555 g of fat
- 5.66 g carbohydrates
- 2.6 g fiber
- 1.94 g sugar
- 1.32 g protein
- 17 mg calcium
- 1.2 mg calcium
- 18 mg magnesium
- 30 mg phosphorous
- 130 mg potassium
- 24 mcg vitamin A
- 52.5 mcg vitamin K
- 32 mg folate
Green bean health benefits
All of these nutrients conspire together to give your body a whole smorgasbord of health benefits that you can will want to have.
Cancer
Green beans are rich in chlorophyll, the pigment that grants plants their color. Consuming chlorophyll can block the carcinogenic effects of heterocyclic amines that come from grilling meat at high temperatures (there’s a reason that green beans make great sides for steak).
Fertility and pregnancy
Iron is very important for women during childbirth. It can boost a woman’s levels of fertility which is important when trying to conceive. Green beans and other veggies make great sources of iron. The folic acid in green beans is important too. It protects the fetus from neural tube defects.
Depression
The folate content found in green beans is also responsible for treating depression. Consuming enough folate helps to prevent an excess buildup of homocysteine in the body. A buildup of homocysteine can prevent the blood and the essential nutrients it carries from reaching the brain which can interfere with serotonin and dopamine production.
