The Incredible Green Bean

Green beans - one of the most kid-friendly green vegetables out there.  Unlike broccoli, spinach, zucchini, green beans are relatively low on the "ick-factor" when it comes to most children and many veggie-averse adults.  You may find yourself eating them quite often because it seems to keep everyone happy.  The really good news is that green beans pack an enormous nutritional punch and they taste good.  This data from the George Mateljan Foundation shows that they provide numerous health benefits including:

• Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
• Cardiovascular health support
• Bone health promotion

Carotenoids in GREEN beans?
Recent studies have confirmed the presence of lutein, beta-caroten, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin in green beans. In some cases, the presence of these carotenoids in green beans is comparable to their presence in other carotenoid-rick vegetables like carrots and tomatoes.  The only reason we don't see these carotenoids is because of the concentrated chlorophyll content of green beans and the amazing shades of green that it provides.

Fresh, frozen or canned - Just Eat Them!
Fresh green beans are the best, but sometimes that they are not accessable.  Frozen is the second best option, as research shows that when first frozen and then cooked, retention of some B vitamins in green beans (like B6 and B2) can be as high as 90%.  Recent studies have shown that canned green beans - on average - lose about a third of their phenolic compounds during the canning process.  They lose B vitamins as well, but in the case of some B vitamins like folic acid, as little as 10%.

Antioxidant Capacity
Research comparing the overall antioxidant capacity of green beans to other foods in the pea and bean families has found green beans to come out on top, even though green beans are not always highest in their concentration of specific antioxidant nutrients like phenolic acids or vitamin C.  Researchers now know the list of antioxidant flavonoids found in green beans is not limited to quercetin and kaemferol, but also includes flavonoids like catechins, epicatechins, and procyanidins.  The antioxidant carotenoids in green beans are diverse, and include lutein, beta-carotene, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin, as mentioned above.

Bone Health
Green beans may be a particularly helpful food for providing us with the mineral silicon.  This mineral, while less well known than minerals like calcium and magnesium, is very important for bone health and for healthy formation of connective tissue.  Green beans have recently been shown to stack up quite well against other commonly-eaten foods as a good source of absorbable silicon.

Grow Green Beans and Healthy Kids

As I have mentioned many times, getting your kids in on the act of growing some of the fruits and veggies that your family eats is a great way to get them to actually EAT more fruits and veggies.  Green beans just happen to be a very easy and fun veggie to grow.  Check in your area for the right time to plant, but with a little TLC, you and your kids will probably have more green beans than you could ever eat - Perfect, share the extras with your neighbors!

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
There are many ways to enjoy green beans, but I especially enjoy this quick and intensely flavored green bean saute.  Don't forget to toss some fresh green beans (I prefer them blanched - dunked in boiling water for a couple of minutes and then dunked in ice water to stop cooking) into your salad for a delicious flavor, beautiful color, and a really great crunch.  They are also a great roasted in the oven or as an addition to a crudite platter, raw or blanched.

Herb Garden Green Beans
Servings:  4

1 lb. fresh or frozen and thawed green beans
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion or 1 shallot, finely diced
2 T fresh herbs, any variety
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and saute the onion or shallot for a few minutes until onions are slightly caramelized on edges.  Add green beans and toss with onions and olive oil.  If using fresh beans, add 1/4 cup of water and cover to allow beans to steam for about 4-5 minutes.  If using previously frozen beans, saute for 3 to 4 minutes until beans are hot and still bright green.  Add the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!