Easy Sautéed Fresh Green Beans Recipe | Food Faith Fitness (2024)

FAQs

Are fresh green beans good for a diet? ›

The vegetable helps fight inflammation and is a good source of folate and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Green beans also are a good source of protein and fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, Vadiveloo said. "Fiber is underconsumed by U.S. adults and children, and it's good for gut health," she said.

A little butter, minced garlic, and lemon-pepper seasoning are all you need to bring the best out of fresh green beans.

Steaming is a simple way to cook vegetables, and it leaves the flavor and much of the nutrients intact. It's slightly healthier than boiling since fewer nutrients end up in the water. Plus, steaming requires little time and attention. A steamer basket is a great kitchen tool to have on hand.

Avoid buying green beans that feel soft, limp, have brown spots or open pods.

Beans are one of the healthiest foods you can consume, but they are specifically great for belly fat loss as they are rich in soluble fibre, which fights inflammation that cause belly fat accumulation. Some studies have linked the consumption of beans to a reduced risk of obesity.

Blanch Them

Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.

Only have canned on hand? Don't worry — they're still nutritious. “Canned green beans have a similar nutrient content to fresh or frozen,” says Whitson. “But choose low-sodium varieties, or rinse them before cooking to remove any added salt.”

As with other vegetables, give them a thorough rinse before you are ready to cook with them. Trim the stem end (the end where the bean connected to the plant) which looks brown and is too tough to eat. The other end can be trimmed, but is perfectly edible, so the choice is yours.

Are Green Beans Safe for Dogs? Chopped, steamed, raw, or canned—all types of green beans are safe for dogs to eat, as long as they are plain. Green beans themselves are not only safe for dogs, but veterinarians also recommend them as a healthy treat. Best of all, dogs seem to love them.

If you'd like more flavor, try adding garlic or herbs like rosemary or thyme during cooking. You can also use other types of stock, such as vegetables or beef, to make your green beans even tastier.

What can I add to beans for flavor? ›

Those aromatics in the pot will revolutionize the beans' final flavor. The aromatics I tend to use are onions, carrots, garlic, and celery, and then heartier, woodsy herbs, like rosemary, sage, and thyme, which marry beautifully with the earthy-sweet flavor of beans.

Jarred Pesto

This blend of basil, parmesan, and olive oil is always a welcome addition to our favorite veggies. Cook green beans any way you like — blanched, steamed, or roasted — then toss with a few spoonfuls of jarred pesto.

Overall, the benefits of cooking this veggie likely outweigh the downsides. Cooking green beans may reduce the content of certain vitamins, but it increases their levels of antioxidants like carotenoids and isoflavones. Notably, cooking also inactivates harmful lectins.

Green beans are high in dietary fiber. Eating green beans for weight loss can be very effective — as long as you aren't eating only green beans. Instead, use them as one component of a balanced, reduced-calorie diet that is rich in the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

Green beans are full of fiber, which is an important nutrient for many reasons. Soluble fiber, in particular, may help to improve the health of your heart by lowering your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels.