String beans

String beans are considered a dietary food product. It is often included in the diet of people who adhere to a healthy lifestyle, and also closely monitor the calculation of daily calories consumed.

The product has a low calorie content and, when consumed even frozen, will strengthen the immune system, as well as become a source of nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of internal organs.

Ancient history

Historians still cannot establish the exact date of the beginning of the cultivation of this type of bean. However, experts have found ancient documents in which there is a mention of this food product. These documents are over 5000 years old, which makes beans much more ancient than some believe. ^[1].

Disputes wind even around her supposed homeland. According to one hypothesis, humanity owes gratitude for such a valuable storehouse of vitamins to the lands of North America, as was the case with potatoes. Another group of researchers believes that it is necessary to dig much deeper. According to some reports, it is necessary to look for historical roots in the territory of Asian countries. There, they were almost the first to learn about the benefits of the product.

There are also theories that revolve around its possible purposeful cultivation in Rome or even ancient Egypt. It is still problematic to determine exactly where the beans came from.

It is known for sure that in addition to knowing how to cook a hearty meal based on beans, people also used its properties for cosmetic purposes. Ladies of past centuries prepared masks with a rejuvenating effect at home. Previously, there were even recipes for making full-fledged powder from such a plant base.

According to legend, the unsurpassed Cleopatra also often made masks from it to keep her skin in excellent condition.

Despite the problems with determining the place where the bean first appeared, the general European public learned about it after exploring North American lands. The Spaniards and the Dutch, who were just beginning to explore new territories, brought the novelty to the continent back in the sixteenth century.

As always happened in such situations with the Europeans, they appreciated the innovation with a great delay.

Only after a couple of centuries, the product was given its due, starting to add it to familiar dishes. And initially the bean was positioned as an ornamental plant. This representative of the flora really blooms beautifully, especially when it comes to climbing varieties.

It is noteworthy that not all experts are able to correctly determine the botanical affiliation of this legume. Most classify it as a vegetable.

However, in terms of botanical classification, it is rather a fruit, since it has seeds. It just so happened historically that most of us call fruits the sweet fruits that are served for dessert.

It took some more time for people to figure out and not wait for the beans to fully ripen. The latter were often added to soups, stews, fillings for closed pies and pies. Curious Italians went further than other culinary experimenters.

History is silent about how miraculously it occurred to them to pick the still green pods. The most important thing is that it worked. Now long edible curls can be found in a much larger list of ready-made treats for holidays and weekdays. Delicious, but not yet fully ripe beans, are called green beans or French beans. Since then, almost no vegetarian salad is complete without her participation.

Today’s market is ready to please with two main varieties of this legume: green and yellow.

Both options cannot boast of high levels of protein in relation to overripe specimens, but their taste characteristics are more delicate. The yellow analogue is generally called oil. It is not so high in calories, but it literally melts in the mouth, and its bright color brightens up the monotony of the overall culinary picture.

Energy value

The calorie content of this product will surprise even experienced lovers of various diets. For a hundred grams of the product, there are hardly 25 kcal ^[2]. As a result, almost all those who lose weight lean on it with a vengeance, noting that the taste characteristics here are also on the level.

In addition to caring for the figure, you can “refuel” the body with a number of useful elements, among which are presented in abundance:

• vitamins of groups C, A, B, E, K ^[3];
• folic acid ^[4][5];
• carotenes.

To obtain these elements, it is enough just to cook it correctly. Cooks warn that even freezing is not terrible for legumes. You just need to know how to freeze it for the winter without violating the technology for subsequent storage.

During the cold months, you can add useful trace elements to your diet:

• iron;
• calcium;
• chromium;
• zinc;
• magnesium ^[6].

An additional point of pride here is the abundance of fiber, carbohydrates and sugars. ^[7]. They work as a shield against the damaging effects of free radicals. It is not for nothing that bean fans have healthy hair and skin.

In the course of recent studies, experts have come to the conclusion that in people over 40, green beans simply must be present on the table. Also, ladies should not forget about him, starting from a young age. If you regularly eat this product, you will be able to keep the youthfulness of the breast for a long time.

Nutritionists say that you should pamper yourself with such a useful product at least twice a week. It can be either a vegetable salad or a baked side dish with chicken. For cooking, it is important to know exactly how much to cook beans so that the nutritional properties are not lost. ^[8].

After the bean boom in Europe, residents of the former USSR countries also took a closer look at this guest of dietary schemes. The advantage was the fact that growing beans is quite simple, as the plant quickly adapts to the changeable Slavic climate.

Enterprising housewives even learned how to preserve pods for the winter ^[9]. Doctors note that this is a good option for a supply of vitamins for the cold season, but we immediately make an amendment that more vitamins remain with gentle heat treatment.

The other side of the question

Even though beans have many health benefits, they are still not an ideal food. This is especially true for those who are used to frying food in a pan with an abundance of low-grade sunflower oil. Such an unreasonably high fat content negates the above benefits, if not harmful at all due to possible carcinogens in cheap oil filling.

The risk group also included older people who suffer from digestive tract problems. Due to the loading dose of fiber, they risk becoming patients in the gastroenterological department.

Among the main contraindications for the consumption of this type of beans are:

• increased acidity;
• gastritis;
• colitis;
• stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers;
• gout;
• cholecystitis.

But gourmets should not worry about side effects, since here the risks are reduced to almost zero. The only possible consequence is excessive gas formation. To be safe, experts recommend boiling the product, and then draining the first water.

Cooked beans can be cut into large pieces, add diced boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes. It will turn out a great light snack for those who follow the figure.

In the old days, and still today, many herbalists used legume juice to relieve the symptoms of bursitis. This chronic disease most often worries men aged 35 and older. Patients suffer from severe pain in the joints and tendons, which leads to difficulty moving and reddening of the skin areas under which the inflammatory process takes place.

Adherents of traditional medicine claim that by drinking fresh bean juice every day and supplementing the weekly diet with dishes with this healthy product, patients can alleviate their current condition. However, there is one pitfall here.

Doctors strongly advise you to consult a doctor before starting any experiments with juice, seeds, leaves and other bean components. Such foresight will eliminate the chances of acquiring ailments from the list of contraindications above.

Influence on the body

In addition to the fact that even just boiled pods are delicious, they are also good for the digestive tract. Due to fiber, the body is cleansed from the inside, getting rid of accumulated toxins and other toxins that poison the internal organs.

The reason for the energy surge after such a healthy breakfast or just a snack lies in the chemical composition of the product. The proteins present here are responsible for the restoration of muscle tissue, and complex carbohydrates provide energy when broken down. This gives rise to a feeling of vivacity and a surge of strength. ^[10].

Be sure to familiarize yourself with how to cook legumes for people who have different stages of diabetes or a tendency to it. ^[11]. With regular consumption, you can stabilize blood sugar levels due to the content of arginine. In terms of its spectrum of action, arginine is somewhat similar to insulin, and it is the latter that is responsible for the amount of glucose.

The vegetable’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are legendary ^[12]. By blocking free radicals, beans not only slow down the process of cell wear, but also protect them from degeneration. This anomaly is characteristic of oncological neoplasms. ^[13].

Steamed pods are no less useful. If Brussels sprouts also get into the dish, then you get the perfect combination. Iron, which is part of the product, will increase the level of hemoglobin and have a beneficial effect on the number of red blood cells.

For taking care of yourself, “thank you” and the nervous system. When the cumulative effect works in the body, a person can be guaranteed to get rid of the negative consequences:

• stress
• emotional load;
• strong moral shock ^[14].

Over time, even sleep stabilizes.

If there is no double boiler at home, then lovers of a healthy lifestyle can adapt all the recipes from the cookbook for a slow cooker.

With a minimum calorie content, beans can speed up metabolism, which helps burn excess fat. It will positively affect the functioning of the genitourinary system. The kidneys will have time to cope with the processing of toxins and their subsequent removal in a natural way.

Healers and herbalists did not bypass the leguminous wealth. They have at least a dozen prescriptions in stock for diseases of the respiratory system. Decoctions and gruel will help to relieve the symptoms of bronchitis.

The fair sex, with regular use of beans, will be able to stabilize the irregular menstrual cycle, and the period of the “women’s days” itself will not be so painful.

And tinctures do an excellent job with the prevention of ailments in terms of the cardiovascular system: hypertension, arrhythmia and atherosclerosis.

The final advantage of the product can be called its benefits for the reproductive system of both women and men. Male representatives will appreciate the product if they suffer from potency problems or want to protect themselves from prostate adenoma.

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