Green beans

Green beans are legumes belonging to the Fabaceae family. Green beans are the immature pod of Phaseolus vulgaris plant, the bean that is commonly used in a wide range of recipes. First of all, green beans are a low-calorie food, only 18Kcal for 100 grams, are rich in vitamins such as A, some vitamins from group B, C and K, important for the healing processes of wounds, and mineral salts, such as potassium, silicon, selenium, fluorine, magnesium and iron. Green beans contain also folic acid, important during pregnancy. In addition to this, these legumes are rich in fibers that help control the cholesterol levels and have a slight laxative effect, for this reason green beans improve the health of the intestine since they speed up the transit of potentially toxic substances. Green beans contain antioxidants such as lutein and beta-carotene, important to protect the eyes and the skin, to counteract aging processes and inflammations, to bring benefit to the cardiovascular system and to strengthen the immune system. Then, some substances contained in green beans such as silicon, calcium, vitamin A and K guarantee bones health and help prevent osteoporosis. As for the cooking methods, the advice is always not to cook too long to avoid precious substances being lost, you can choose to boil the green beans for 4-5 minutes or, and it is always preferable, you can steam them for about ten or fifteen minutes. Once drained the beans can be seasoned with a little oil and are ready to be a perfect side dish for many recipes. Green beans should not be eaten raw because they contain a substance, the phasin, which is toxic but is eliminated by cooking.