Although the beans inside a
green bean are always green, the pods can be gold, purple, red or
streaked, according to the California Department of Public Health (See
Reference 4). Raw green beans, also called string beans, provide a
nutritious snack that is low in calories and has a wide array of
vitamins and minerals. Cooking removes some of their nutrients, so
eating them raw is more beneficial.
Weight Control and Macronutrients
A
cup of raw green beans weighing 100 grams, has 31 calories and 2.7
grams of fiber. If you are trying to maintain your current weight or
lose weight, raw green beans can help fill you up without excessive
calories. Because they contain seeds, they also have 1.83 grams of
protein. Although green beans are sweet to the taste, they only contain
3.26 grams of natural sugars per cup, making them a safe snack for
diabetics.
Vitamins
Each
cup of raw green beans provides about 1/6 of the vitamin C you need
each day; boosting your intake of this antioxidant helps keep your cells
healthy. It also has 1/7 of your recommended daily intake for vitamin
K, a nutrient that promotes proper blood clotting and plays a role in
your bone metabolism. Raw green beans contain small amounts of vitamins A
and E, as well as the B-vitamins, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate
and B-6.
Essential Minerals
If
you are a man, a cup of raw green beans provides 1/8 of the iron you
need each day. Women, who need more iron, get about six percent of their
daily requirement of iron in a cup of green beans. Iron helps carry
oxygen throughout your body and benefits your immune function and energy
metabolism. Raw green beans also provide five to 10 percent of your
recommended daily intake for calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and
potassium, adding modest, supplemental amounts of these essential
minerals.
Raw Vs. Cooked
Boiling
green beans depletes them of some of their nutrients, particularly
minerals and vitamin C. A 100-gram serving of cooked green beans has
about the same amount of protein, B-vitamins and vitamins A and E as raw
green beans, but cooking green beans causes them to lose 30 percent of
their potassium, iron and magnesium, and 20 percent of their vitamin C
content.
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