Canned and frozen green beans are available year-round and are often a go-to side for any kind of meal, but noting beats a fresh bunch of green beans in the summer. A favorite among home gardeners, the green bean is a versatile vegetable at its peak in the summer and early fall. Depending on the market, one can find a wide variety of green beans, from yellow wax beans to yard-long Asian beans.
How to Pick the Best Green Beans
The freshest green beans that have the crispest snaps, find a green bean that was picked no less than a few days before purchase. Green beans quickly begin losing moisture and going limp after being picked.
Look for beans with a bright green color a little fuzzy feel on the outside. California farmer Molly Gean, in the book Fresh from the Farmers’ Market, says, “Here’s a trick senior citizens taught me…If they stick to your clothes, they’re fresh.”
Don’t expect to store fresh green beans for very long. When possible, eat the beans soon after purchase. If storage is necessary, store green beans in a paper bag inside a plastic bag and refrigerate in the crisper.
How to Use and Eat Fresh Green Beans
The uses for green beans are many. Steamed, they make a quick side dish and made even more flavorful with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. Green beans can also find their way into raw salads, pasta salads, or the star of their own green bean salad. Asian cuisine also benefits from the taste and texture of fresh green beans.
The website “Spice Advice” recommends the following herbs and spices as complements to the mild flavor of fresh green beans:
- Basil
- Celery Seed
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Curry Powder
- Dillweed
- Marjoram
- Nutmeg
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Thyme
Health Benefits of Fresh Picked Green Beans
Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, and manganese. They are also a great source of dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron.
Vitamin K is crucial to maintaining strong bones. The vegetable’s vitamins A and C work together to fight atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. Many of the vitamins and compounds in green beans also aid in general heart health. Magnesium and potassium also work in tandem to reduce high blood pressure, and the fiber present can help lower high levels of cholesterol.
The beans’ iron facilitates oxygen circulation in hemoglobin, and the Beta-carotene and vitamin C present have anti-inflammatory effects.
References
Fletcher, J. (1997). Fresh from the Farmers’ Market. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
The George Mateljan Foundation (n.d.) Green beans. Retrieved from : Whfoods.org
Andy Luttrell - I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at the Ohio State University after having completed undergraduate education at Eastern ...
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