Health question Can green beans be eaten raw?

Beans for the summer kitchen - Do not eat raw
Beans are very versatile legumes. In summer, green barley and bush beans often come to the table. They taste in soups and stews, but also to pasta and as an accompaniment to meat and fish. The tender yellow-hulled beans are a popular ingredient for the salad. Before preparation, the two ends are cut off and any existing threads removed. However, most varieties are threadbare today. Then cut the beans to the desired length and simmer for an average of 10 to 15 minutes or boil in salted water, so they still bite when serving.

Green beans contain healthy phytochemicals, important vitamins and minerals. However, raw legumes should not be consumed raw because they contain toxic hydrogen cyanide. (Image: karepa / fotolia.com)

When raw, they must not be eaten because the beans contain harmful ingredients such as lectins. Depending on the amount, these proteins can lead to mild stomach upset or intestinal inflammation. By cooking the lectins are destroyed and rendered harmless.

With various spices such as fennel, savory or cumin, beans are easier to digest. The vegetables provide valuable protein in balance with carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It contains abundant phytochemicals such as flavonoids and saponins, which have a positive effect on blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

In the 16th century, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) from Central and South America came to Europe. There are bush and runner beans, which differ only in the growth form. Runner beans reach a height of up to three meters and must therefore be supported by a pole or other climbing aid. Bush beans grow freely, as they are at most 60 cm high. In the garden can be cultivated barley and bush beans without much effort. The flat or round pods may be green, yellow, bluish or black depending on the variety. Incidentally, the princess bean is not its own variety, but a particularly early harvested bean.

Fresh beans from local open-land cultivation are available until the end of October. Fresh pods have a strong color and feel firm and crisp. When bending, they break through smoothly, the break point should be green and juicy. They stay in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for about three days. Green beans can also be frozen excellent. Simply blanch and quench for a short while so that the color remains even after thawing. Heike Kreutz, bzfe