Snap Beans (Green and Yellow Beans)

Snap Beans (Green and Yellow Beans): Nutrition and Complete Guide

Snap beans — the crisp pods of immature Phaseolus vulgaris harvested before the seeds develop fully — include green beans, yellow wax beans, French beans (haricots verts, the slender French variety), and runner beans. They are eaten pod and all as a vegetable rather than for the seeds, and are among the most versatile and widely consumed vegetables globally. Green beans in particular are a staple of British, French, American, and East Asian cooking. The USDA entry here represents yellow snap beans (wax beans) specifically — similar nutritionally to green beans. In France, the slender haricot vert is treated as a delicacy, always blanched just to the point of bright green and tender-crisp and dressed simply with butter or vinaigrette. In the American South, long-cooked green beans with pork fat ("leather britches" or "killed beans") are a traditional preparation of quite different character.

Nutritional Value and Uses

Fresh snap beans provide 31 kcal and 1.8 g of protein per 100 g — very low in calories. They provide vitamin K (important for blood clotting and bone health), vitamin C, folate, thiamine, and manganese. The fibre at 3.4 g per 100 g is useful for such a low-calorie vegetable. Blanch in heavily salted boiling water for two to three minutes for crisp-tender results. Dress with good butter, almonds, or vinaigrette. Add to salad Niçoise. Stir-fry with garlic and soy. Steam alongside fish. Green beans cooked with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil until very tender — the Southern Italian preparation — is a different pleasure from crisp blanched beans and equally delicious.