Green beans - easy on the raw ones

[chriswaterguy]

On the theme of "all things in moderation"...

I've just learned that green beans contain the same toxins and anti-nutrients as dried beans, when raw. The quantity is much, much less, and I'll still eat fresh young beans from the plant when I get the chance. But I won't be putting a lot of them in my green smoothies every morning.

I'm guessing

Comments

[alison_in_oh]

Yeah, I'm gonna need more info than is on that Wiki page. I can't find anything about "toxins and anti-nutrients" in beans or legumes, let alone fresh green beans specifically, anywhere else except anti-sprouting anti-raw foods anti-grain foods highly biased sources.

[chriswaterguy]

Something that actually prevents you absorbing nutrients. E.g. raw sweet potato, & sweet potato leaves, contain something that reduces absorption of protein.

[chriswaterguy]

I should add, I don't think raw sweet potato is a huge problem either... but there are other foods which are better raw. I'm interested in which foods are best eaten raw and which are best cooked.

[small_chicken]

IIRC, you have to be very careful eating nightshade plants raw--they're very toxic in so many ways!

[chriswaterguy]

Often true... but sweet potato is not in the nightshade family (it's not actually a potato).

[chriswaterguy]

That page does need clearer references, but it now references http://www.rawfoodinfo.com/, the Hong Kong government & Thompson & Morgan's seeds.

Re dried beans: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beans#Toxins - which references the FDA.

You could look up phytohaemagglutinin for some more technical info.