String Beans

Question
Dear Sir,

Please share with me the nutritional value of string beans, the long, narrow, greens beans. I like to eat them fresh, frozen, or canned.

Also, I am discovering West African cuisine. Many of the recipes (soups and stews) call for the use of one or two bouillion cubes. In my sub-culture (coastal SC and GA soul food), we do not use bouillion cubes out of concern high levels of sodium. Is there a substitute for bouillion cubes? Thanks for your time and expertise.

Answer
Hi Rochelle,

You can use a low-sodium broth in place of bouillon. Vegetable broth can also be made at home and you can decide how much salt you wish to add. At your local bookstore look for a vegetable or soup cookbook to find a recipe to try. Expanding your palate in other cultures food is always a fun experience!

Fresh is always best. Frozen is second; many vegetables are flash frozen near the place they are picked which helps retain nutrients. I recommend avoiding canned vegetables as they have been stored for long periods and will offer the least nutrition.

One cup raw green beans offers 34 calories, 2 grams protein,  and 8 grams carbohydrate. They are a good source of vitamins A, C, and contain some B1, B2, and B3, as well as folic acid. They also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Green beans are also a good source of fiber and are low in sodium. They are an alkaline forming food. The nutritional quality will decline with storage and cooking time.

I hope this answers your question.

Thank you,
Dan Haley, CNC

www.marketamerica.com/alkalinenutrition  

1. Prev:The Book, Skinny Bitch
2. Next:How is this possible?