There are several ways to eat string beans.
My favorite is the stir-fry beans.
They are a load of healthy benefits, some of which I mention below, but here is a warning.
Food and nutrition experts say that string beans should not be eaten raw.
Why? Because they contain a toxin called phaseolin.
However, phaseolin is degraded by heat.
Therefore, using the bean pods to make a tea (decoction) or cooking them is the way to go.
Another thing to watch out for is the amount of salt used in cooking.
These vegetables need very little salt.
I once had a sumptuous serving of string beans at a restaurant but the salt content was too much.
If you have high blood pressure, it is extremely important to look out for this.
Arginine and other bean benefits It is the amino acid Arginine present in beans that is responsible for their hypoglycemic effect.
It has similar properties to glycoquine (sometimes called plant insulin), and this decreases blood sugar level.
The effect of a diet including string beans and kidney beans can be so effective in lowering blood sugar level, that food experts advise that you monitor your blood sugar level with extra care when you include it in your diet.
String beans are also good for the heart.
They are said to contain substances that help to strength heart contractions.
Green beans also help to eliminate kidney stones or prevent the formation of the same.
However, the health benefit that you really would not want to miss out on is that of the fiber content of the beans.
The fiber helps to lower high cholesterol by removing bile acids from the small intestines.
This action causes extra cholesterol in the blood to be used up, hence lowering your blood cholesterol level.
These are just some of the benefits of including kidney beans, green beans and/or string beans in your diet.
Given this list of health benefits, it should be "worth your beans" to go greedy on this vegetable and go less on the processed foods, high fat meals that are sure to leave their scar on your health.
Make sure you come out "on top" with your health numbers on your next medical examination.
You cannot say you have not "bean" told!