Name: Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) — long, broad, rough-skinned green pods with a strong, beany flavour, grown on tall climbing vines with bright scarlet flowers. They are especially popular in Britain.
Description
Runner beans are native to the highlands of Mexico and Central America, where they were cultivated for thousands of years, and were brought to Europe in the 17th century, initially as a decorative plant, grown for its flowers. They became a favourite vegetable in Britain, where they thrive in cool, damp summers, and are a staple of allotments and vegetable gardens.
Young pods are tender and sweet, but older pods become tough and stringy, so they are picked often to encourage the plant to keep producing. Their flavour is stronger and more robust than ordinary green beans.
Main nutrition value
Runner beans provide vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, manganese and fibre, and are low in calories.
How best to be consumed
Runner beans are sliced thinly and cooked until tender.
- Top and tail, remove any string, then slice thinly on the diagonal.
- Boil or steam for 4 to 6 minutes until just tender, and serve with butter.
- Add to stews, curries, chutneys and soups, or pickle them.
- Pick them while young and small, for the best flavour and texture.
- Cook thoroughly, and never eat the raw beans.
Overconsumption could cause…
Runner beans are safe and healthy in food amounts when cooked.
- Digestive upset (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) from raw or undercooked beans, which contain natural lectins that cooking destroys, so always cook beans thoroughly.
- Bloating and gas from the fermentable carbohydrates in beans and peas, particularly if you are not used to eating them.
- Allergic reactions in a small number of people allergic to legumes.
- Tough, stringy pods and a bitter taste if overgrown.
Wikipedia — Runner bean, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runner_bean
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