Last Updated on December 16, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Beans are one of the easiest and simplest foods out there. They are tasty, versatile, can be cooked into different dishes, added to soups and salads, and healthy items.
Diabetes is a chronic ailment that affects the metabolism of the body. It needs to be paid attention to and treated right with healthy food choices and lifestyle changes that assist in lowering high blood sugar levels.
Green beans, commonly known as French beans, are good for diabetes patients and are appreciated for their many nutritional components. The consumption of green beans can aid better blood sugar management and handle other physical ailments of the body.
Are green beans good for diabetes?
As we already clarified above, green beans are one of the healthiest bean varieties and can be had by diabetic patients. They are enriched with important macro and micronutrients that help the body to function well.
Diabetics can be benefitted from the inclusion of beans in their diets. There are many bean varieties available out there, and green beans are among the top choices for diabetes management and prevention.
It is a green vegetable that can be added to many dishes and cooked as per likes. These beans are found in the long green pod and are consumed with the pod.
The beans inside the pods are also taken out, dried, and used in other ways in cooking.
Green beans have many vitamins and minerals that can provide the body with strength and increased immunity. The presence of phytonutrients in green beans can be very helpful in enhancing body functioning.
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It also offers many antioxidants and vitamins that can deal with reducing the oxidative stress that builds up over time in the body due to the harmful effects of free radicals. The rising oxidative stress is one of the prime reasons for diabetes severity.
In addition to this, the availability of fiber in green beans makes it extra well for diabetic patients. Fiber is an essential nutrient for diabetic patients.
The presence of fiber is crucial for the proper working of the body’s digestive system. Fiber is responsible for regulating the pace of digestion, which aids slower release and absorption of blood sugars in the body. This results in proper maintenance of the blood glucose levels and prevents any situations for rising blood sugars in the body.
Moreover, the fiber in the body also improves overall metabolism and prevents chances of developing stomach-related issues such as cramps, acidity, gastric problems, constipation, indigestion, and so on.
The many minerals found in green beans add too many aspects of health such as bone strength, heart health, immunity to protect the body against infections and weakness, enhancing anti-inflammatory properties, etc.
However, the usage of canned beans is not advised if you have to gain the health benefits of green beans, especially for diabetic patients. Canned food has added preservatives and chemicals, which can have other harmful impacts on the body. Canned beans also contain higher amounts of sodium that can bring in blood pressure-related complications.
Overall, green beans are good for diabetic patients and help with the management of blood sugar levels. To confirm this benefit, let us have a closer look at the Glycemic index of green beans.
What is the Glycemic index of green beans?
By now, you might be clear that the consumption of green beans is safe for diabetic patients. This fact is also accompanied by another supporting factor about its Glycemic index.
The Glycemic index of food assists in determining the safety of certain food for diabetic patients as it considers the number of carbs found in that food.
As per the carb content, foods are ranked on a scale of 0 to 100. This demonstrates how slowly or rapidly a food item can increase your blood sugar levels.
According to the glycemic index scale ranks, the foods are also classified as safe, moderately safe, or unsafe for diabetic consumption. Let us have a look at these categories closely.
| Sl. No. | Glycemic Index categories | Glycemic Index ranges |
| Low Glycemic Index (safe for diabetics) | 0 to 55 | |
| Moderate Glycemic Index (safe when taken in limited quantities) | 55 to 69 | |
| High Glycemic Index (unsafe for diabetics) | From 70 and above |
Now you might be thinking about what the glycemic index of green beans is? Well, the glycemic index of green beans is very low. It is only 20. This makes sure that the blood sugar levels are not affected and do not rise when this food is consumed.
If you pair green beans with other food items, it can help reduce the overall glycemic index of the meal. This can be very beneficial for controlling diabetes.
Now, let us move on to knowing about the nutritional values of green beans to understand their benefits better.
What is the nutritional composition of green beans?
Until now, we have been mentioning that many nourishing macro and micronutrients make green beans very helpful for the body.
Let us now get to know what the actual nutritional components of green beans are. The following table shows the nutrients found in 100 grams of green beans:
| Sl. No. | Nutrients found in 100 g of green beans | Amount available |
| Calories | 31 | |
| Carbohydrates Sugars Dietary fiber | 7 g 3.26 g 3 g | |
| Proteins | 1.83 g | |
| Fats | 0.22 g | |
| Water | 90.32 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | |
| Calcium | 37 mg | |
| Magnesium | 27 mg | |
| Manganese | 0.216 mg | |
| Potassium | 211 mg | |
| Iron | 1.03 mg | |
| Copper | 0.069 mg | |
| Choline | 15.3 mg | |
| Phosphorus | 38 mg | |
| Zinc | 0.24 mg | |
| Selenium | 0.6 µg | |
| Sodium | 6 mg | |
| Vitamin A | 690 IU | |
| Vitamin C | 12.2 mg | |
| Folate | 33 µg | |
| Vitamin K | 43 µg | |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.082 mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.141 mg | |
| Vitamin E | 0.41 mg | |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.104 mg | |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.734 mg | |
| Vitamin B5 | 0.225 mg |
From the above table, you can see that green beans are very rich in various nutrients that can have a lot of good effects on health.
The presence of vitamin A in green beans is a lot higher than in many other foods. This, along with vitamin C, has many good benefits on the body’s immunity and ability to keep away from diseases, pains, imbalances, and other harmful health risks.
There are many other benefits of having green beans too. The following section discusses that.
What are the health benefits of having green beans?
From the nutrient profile of green beans, it is evident that they can contribute to many good impacts on health.
Consuming a 55 gram serving of green beans is a good daily recommendation that you can gain several advantages from. Exceeding health limits can cause side effects such as bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.
Here are ten major health benefits of consuming green beans:
- Green beans are important as well as very healthy agents that promote weight loss. Rising weight and obesity are some of the common factors that lead to health severity and related issues. Individuals diagnosed with diabetes are more prone to weight-related disorders and need to control their body weight. Eating green beans can help with it as they are healthy as well as low in calories.
- The availability of fiber in green beans aids in managing the levels of cholesterol in the body. It is known to reduce bad cholesterol that is harmful to heart health. The effects of nutrients found in green beans decrease the absorption ability of the colon towards cholesterol.
- Apart from lowering cholesterol, green beans are also otherwise good for heart health as they are rich in potassium. Potassium is a mineral that is very good for reducing blood pressure and relieving stress from the heart’s functioning.
- Green beans are a good source for gaining vitamin C, a needed antioxidant that enhances the body’s immunity power. It assists in tackling the harmful free radicals and their effects that often lead to chronic diseases.
- The high fiber is green beans are responsible for fuelling improved metabolic functioning in the body. It helps add bulk to the stool and maintains a good overall digestive process. Moreover, iron, calcium, and vitamin B also help in encouraging metabolic functioning.
- Manganese in green beans helps in the better absorption of calcium in the body. This, in turn, makes bones much healthier and stronger. It is also helpful in preventing bone-related pains, inflammation, and joint disorders such as – arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.
- The abundance of fiber in green beans forms a protective layer over the mucus membrane of the colon, which saves it from the attack of free radicals. This is a way in which green beans can help promote better colon health and avoid risks of colon cancer.
- The presence of folate in green beans is good for pregnant women. This enhances the neural development of the fetus and promotes overall health and growth as well.
- Many flavonoids and antioxidants found in these beans are good for encouraging skin health. They also act as useful anti-aging nutrients and slow down the aging process, such as the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, dry skin, etc.
- Green beans also strengthen vision. They contain antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which decrease the effects of age on vision and slow down cataracts.
REFERENCES:
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-benefits-of-green-beans/
https://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/top-10-health-benefits-of-french-beans-182437/
https://foodstruct.com/food/beans-snap-green-raw
