What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Green Beans Regularly

Green beans, a type of legume, are an excellent source of many types of nutrients. This means that incorporating green beans into your diet regularly could lead to numerous health benefits.

Because they are high in fiber, green beans can help support gut health and digestion. Fiber can keep your bowel movements more regular and help you avoid constipation.

It also nourishes the microorganisms that live in your gut. Maintaining healthy levels of beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome can help you avoid gastrointestinal diseases and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.

Green beans are also a wise choice for people who already suffer from chronic digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). That’s because green beans are low in FODMAPs, carbohydrates that ferment quickly in the colon, sometimes causing gas, bloating, and abdominal pain in some people.

If your health goals include maintaining a healthy weight, green beans are a great source of energy. Green beans are low in calories and fat, but still contain enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Plus, the fiber content of green beans isn’t just helpful for digestive health: Fiber keeps you feeling full longer after eating, helping to control calorie intake.

Green beans are very high in vitamin K. In fact, a standard serving of raw green beans contains about 40% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K for adults.

Vitamin K participates in the formation and maintenance of bones. Not consuming enough of it increases the risk of osteoporosis, a disease that weakens and weakens bones.

When it comes to heart health, green beans have a lot to offer. They are rich in vitamin B9 (folate) and potassium, two minerals that can help lower blood pressure. Green beans also contain fiber, which may also help manage cholesterol, by lowering your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol levels.

Controlling cholesterol and blood pressure levels can reduce your risk of heart disease.

However, be careful how your green beans are prepared: canned green beans, for example, can be high in salt, which can raise blood pressure.

Several components of green beans support vision and the health of your eyes:

• Vitamin C: A 100-gram serving of green beans contains about 15% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C deficiency has been linked to cataracts and lower collagen, which can potentially affect your eye health.
• Folate (vitamin B9): Researchers have found that a diet rich in folate and other B vitamins may reduce the risk of an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that causes progressive loss of central vision. A 100-gram serving of raw green beans contains about 8% of the folic acid you need daily.

Although relatively low in calories, green beans are packed with nutrients. One cup (125 grams) of boiled green beans contains:

• Calories: 44
• Protein: 2.36 grams (g)
• Fat: 0.35g
• Carbohydrates: 9.86g
• Salt (sodium): 1.25 milligrams (mg)
• Fiber: 4g
• Total sugars: 4.54g
• Iron: 0.81mg
• Magnesium: 22.5 mg
• Potassium: 182 mg
• Calcium: 55 mg
• Vitamin A: 791 international units; 40 micrograms of ERA
• Vitamin B9 (folate): 41.2 micrograms (10% of the recommended daily allowance)
• Vitamin C: 12.1 mg (16% or 13% of the recommended daily intake for women and men, respectively)
• Vitamin K: 59.9 micrograms (66% or 50% of the recommended daily intake for women and men, respectively)

The way green beans are prepared affects their nutritional content. Here are some tips to make this versatile vegetable even better for your health:

• Be careful with salt: On average, adults in the United States consume too much sodium, which can be dangerous for blood pressure. Add a slight amount of salt to your green beans or avoid it altogether. If you buy canned green beans, look for salt-free or low-salt options and rinse them before cooking.
• Add green beans to your snack rotation: Green beans are often found on plates, but fresh green beans can also be great as snacks. Try dipping them in hummus or a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• Choose fresh or frozen: Green beans are often more nutrient dense when fresh rather than canned. (This doesn’t mean canned green beans are a bad choice: again, just choose low-sodium varieties and rinse them before cooking.)
• Bring them back: Boiling can remove some nutrients from green beans, so it’s best to saute them. Choose olive oil or another healthy vegetable oil rather than lard or butter.