Green bean facts for kids

Whole green beans

Green beans are a popular vegetable that many people enjoy eating. They are actually the fruit of certain types of the common bean plant, known scientifically as Phaseolus vulgaris.

You can find green beans sold in different ways: fresh, frozen, or in a can. People cook them in many different styles. They can be steamed, boiled, stir-fried, or even deep-fried. In the United States, green beans are often part of a casserole dish, sometimes mixed with mushrooms, crispy fried onions, and cream. In Chinese cooking, they are frequently stir-fried with garlic and douchi (which are fermented black soybeans). If you're having Japanese cuisine, you might find them served as tempura, which means they are lightly battered and fried.

It's important to know that green beans contain natural substances called lectins. Because of these, it's not safe to eat too many raw green beans. They should always be cooked properly to make sure they are safe and healthy to eat.

What Makes Green Beans Special?

Green common beans growing on the plant

Did you know that green beans used to have a tough "string" along their side? This string had to be removed before cooking. But in 1894, a person named Calvin Keeney, who is known as the "father of the stringless bean," developed the first stringless bean in Le Roy, New York. Most types of green beans grown today do not have these strings, making them much easier to prepare!

Types of Green Bean Plants

Green bean plants grow in two main ways: as "bush" beans or "pole" beans.

• Bush beans are short plants. They usually grow to about 2 feet (61 cm) tall and don't need extra support to grow. These plants produce all their beans over a short time, then stop. Because they produce beans all at once and are easy to harvest with machines, bush beans are often grown on large farms. Most bush green beans are types of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).

• Pole beans are climbing plants. They grow long, twisting vines that need something to climb on, like "poles," trellises, or other structures. Pole beans can be common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus), or even yardlong beans (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis).

Many Varieties of Green Beans

There are more than 130 different types of green beans! Each type is chosen for how tasty and juicy its pods are. This is why you'll find so many kinds if you grow them in a home garden.

Green bean pods can be different colors, not just green. You can find them in purple, red, or even streaked with different colors. Their shapes also vary a lot, from very thin "fillet" types to wide "romano" types, and many common shapes in between. Yellow-colored green beans are also known as wax beans.

Images for kids

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  A pile of raw green beans

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  Varieties of climbing French beans, from left: 'The Hunter', 'Cosse Violette', 'Rob Roy', 'Rob Splashed', 'Kingston Gold'

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  Green beans with bean slicer

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  Cut and cooked green beans

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  Four varieties of the common green bean presenting variation in color, size, shape, and texture

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  Pickled beans

See also

In Spanish: Ejote para niños