Health benefits of french beans

Green beans or beans are said to have originated in South and Central America. The cultivation of french beans was started 7000 years ago, by the Indian tribes settled in Tehuacan Valley of Mexico and in Callejon de Huaylas, Peru. 

When Christopher Columbus returned from his second voyage to the New World in the year 1493, he brought French beans with him in the Mediterranean region. French beans were considered to be rare to find and expensive but soon became one of the commonly used beans in the 19th century. In France, French beans were introduced in the year 1597 by the Conquistadors.

fillet type beans

There are over 130 varieties of snap bean that are known. Varieties specialized for use as green beans, selected for the succulence and flavor of their pods, are the ones usually grown in the home vegetable garden, and many varieties exist. Pod color can be green, golden, purple, red, or streaked. Shapes range from thin �fillet� types to wide �romano� types and more common types in between. French Haricots verts (green beans) are bred for flavorful pods.

romano beans

French beans are very sensitive to frost but cannot stand hot conditions either. Thus, ideally, they can be grown in the frost free portion of the year. The ideal temperature for the growth of beans is between 15�C to 27�C while the minimum temperature required for the germination of seeds of French beans is 10�C, these beans can grow in a variety of soils but are highly sensitive to high boron content in soils. Green beans are found in two major groups, bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans are short plants, growing to approximately two feet in height, without requiring supports.
 
Green beans, also known as french beans, string beans or snap beans, are the unripe fruits of beans. Green beans are rich in fiber and low in calories. They also contain protein, carbohydrates and vitamins. Green beans were used to treat diabetes since ancient times and are today available fresh, frozen and canned. The nutritional content of all these forms of beans is almost the same. Increasing hemoglobin count and provides energy to the body without adding calories.

Green beans may be a particularly helpful food for providing us with the mineral silicon. This mineral�while less well known that minerals like calcium and magnesium�is very important for bone health and for healthy formation of connective tissue. Green beans have recently been shown to stack up quite well against other commonly-eaten foods as a good source of absorb able silicon.


Green beans are rich in various nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, iron, potassium, folate, calcium, magnesium and thiamin.The various health benefits of beans can be attributed to their rich store of nutrients. Some of the important nutrients found in green beans and their beneficial uses are as follows:

Vitamin K � This vitamin enables the body to heal faster. Vitamin K stimulates the process of blood coagulation whenever there is a wound or injury and prevents excess loss of blood. For this reason individuals who need to undergo surgery are given vitamin K supplements before the procedure. The vitamin also enhances the absorption of calcium in the body and this helps to boost bone strength and density. Those at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis should consume adequate amounts of green beans so that they can get a healthy supply of vitamin K.

Vitamin C � This is another important vitamin found in green beans. It assists in the healing of wounds and may also play a role in cancer prevention. Due to its antioxidant properties, vitamin C helps to protect the DNA from damage and abnormalities. It is a good idea to include green beans in the diet in order to reduce the risk of various diseases.

Vitamin A � Green beans are loaded with vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant which helps to protect against high cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. Vitamin A also delays the signs of premature ageing such as wrinkles, dull skin, fine lines, dark spots and dry skin.

Manganese � There are also substantial amounts of manganese found in green beans. Manganese helps to alleviate the symptoms of osteoporosis and also assists in the absorption of other nutrients in the body.

Fiber � Green beans are packed with dietary fiber which is beneficial for those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Fiber adds bulk to the stools and enables easy passage during bowel movements. Green beans are good for those with high cholesterol since fiber helps to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the body. People with diabetes may also include green beans in their diet since it helps to regulate blood sugar levels.


Silicon � Green beans are also known to have healthy amounts of silicon, a mineral which supports health of the connective tissues and bones. Green beans are rich in various nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, iron, potassium, folate, calcium, magnesium and thiamin

French beans are filled with healthy dietary fibers that help in the prevention of cholesterol. These fibers are also beneficial for diabetic people as they help in preventing the sugar levels from rising up immediately after having a meal.

French beans are also helpful in energizing the body as they are rich in iron, the nutrients found in hemoglobin which helps in giving energy to the body.

French beans also help in improving the immune system of the body as they are a rich source of Vitamin C. This vitamin helps in stimulating the white cells to fight against infection by directly killing the bacteria and viruses responsible for these infections.

A good diet for those suffering from diabetes.
Reducing and preventing inflammation of the joints in case of rheumatoid arthritis.
Promoting good colon health and aids in preventing colon cancer.  

How to eat smart to lose weight

Try these simple eating tips for weight loss

If you tried everything for that quick weight loss and still failing in your mission, and loosing weight is your high priority these days. Let us help you in your weight loss. In our opinion to loose weight is very simple. ................... guess what ............ diet ..no....... gym.....no.............................Just eat smart guys

Are you one of the thousands of people out there wondering what the real secrets of eating right are? With so many fad diets and gimmicks available on the TV and in the media today, it's hard to sort out fact from fiction................... Have you resolved to lose weight?

Do you think thin = healthy = not eating? ................ Oh hell ..........Get real guys!

Let me explain How "Eating Smart" Can Help You Lose Weight?

Eat smart

Eating right can help you knock off those extra pounds.  So have you taken care of your annual donation to the gym knowing that you�re never going to step into it? Paying that gym membership makes you think �I�ll make it some day�. 

But let�s face it; most of us can barely make the time to draw a deep breath, let alone find a couple of hours, that includes fighting traffic and finding parking space, to work out.  Also many have a mental block about the gym and your body will never respond to anything you force it into.  So what do you do? You learn to compensate.  By eating; only this time correctly. How do you know how to eat smart?

Frequency

Do you wake up sluggish to a large cup of coffee/tea? Do you have a couple of bites for breakfast and then wake up ravenous late in the afternoon to bite into whatever you see? That�s because you probably eat your big meal at sunset.  Now its impossible to change habits overnight, so start slow. Wake up to the heaviest platter and get through the day in descending order.

Go �figure�
First, study your body; structure, metabolism, hunger pangs, thirst, eating patterns.  It�s very important to know when you feel hungry, how much and when not;

Note down the time and contents of your meal for a week so that you realize what you�re chomping and what you�re missing in terms of essential nutrients. Create a basket that includes all food groups; carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and even fat.  Keeping track of all that you eat is also a foolproof system to put an end to bingeing; once you actually see how much you�re putting into your body, it�ll automatically put your meals into perspective. 

One simple rule: your body burns most calories as soon as you wake and then goes into slow mode thereafter.  So eat your chocolates, fried food, sweets, cakes when you wake up and make the later mouthfuls healthier as the sun goes down.

Eat with your mind
It�s essential to finish with supper at sundown because your fat burning ability vanishes with the sunlight.  And since you�ve had your dinner early, you�re guaranteed to wake up with an appetite.  If you cannot stomach the idea of combine protein, carbohydrates and fats that early, start with a fruit.  High carbs like banana or apple are ideal to kick start that metabolism and also acts as a buffer to that cup you�ll sip on.  Never, I mean Never, begin your day with caffeine as your body will automatically go into slump mode.  Water constitutes 70 per cent of Human body so when we gulp some down as much as possible through the day to eliminate toxins.

The golden Cycle

Every time hunger pangs strike, replace every one out of three meals with water and watch the fat melt away.  If you ever want to lose weight eat!! The 3 W�s are the deal breakers-what, when and where you eat, for e.g eating dal chawal( plain rice with dal) at a restaurant at midnight can do more damage than a big piece of ladoo (sweet) in the morning.  Simply because one, your ability to burn fat at midnight is almost zilch and two even dal may have unhealthy ingredients when made outside whereas the bhaji you fry in good oil at home is absorbed into your system pronto because you�re burning most fat in the morning.