The health benefits of beans for babies include good supply of proteins, good source of vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, high amount of dietary fiber, supply of antioxidants and supply of essential minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sodium and zinc.
Beans or green beans or French beans, as they are popularly known around the world, are one of the best sources of protein from the vegetarian world. Beans, like most legumes belong to the plant family of Phaseolus. There are other types of beans available which include broad beans, carob beans, lima beans, chick peas and kidney beans.
Choosing Green Beans For Babies:
- Fresh green beans look bright green in color and snap off easily. Do not buy canned or pre-cut beans.
- It is best if you buy them by their weight from the market so that you can test them for freshness.
Avoid the ones which have wrinkles and brown spots on them.
Avoid the beans where the outline is visible as they tend to be rough.
Health benefits of green beans for babies
Here are some of the health benefits offered by Green beans for babies.
Very high source of proteins: Beans are one of the highest source of protein in the plant kingdom. The seeds of most beans including green beans are good source of protein. But there is one catch, the amount of protein in fresh beans might be small but in dried form, the protein content is very high. (Nutritional Value of Dry Beans).
Good source of folate
Folate or folic acid belongs to the group of vitamin B. This vitamin helps in producing red blood cells which are essential in an infant who needs to supply nutrients to every organ in the body for quick development. Folate is also useful in strengthening brain cells and for proper functioning of the brain.
Dietary fiber
The pods of green beans are full of dietary fiber. This dietary fiber is very much useful in keeping the colon or the large intestine clean by regulating bowel movements. Dietary fiber absorbs water in the body and flushes out all the impurities in the colon through the stool. Regular bowel movements are good for your baby as it keeps diseases at bay and promotes appetite.