Garden bean

The common bean is a vegetable plant that is cultivated in many places. It can be found in a low-growing, bushy form (bush bean) or in a climbing form, which then reaches a height of up to 4 m (runner bean). The butterfly flowers can be white, yellowish or purple in color. The trifoliate leaves are stalked. The bean seeds and pods contain a poisonous protein compound (phasin), which is destroyed by cooking. Beans should therefore never be eaten raw. The pods (pods) are used medicinally after the seeds have been removed.

Application

Beans are a valuable food due to their high protein content. However, if eaten raw, even a few seeds can lead to severe symptoms of poisoning, as the phasin they contain can damage the stomach and intestinal mucosa. Bean pods contain amino acids, hemicelluloses, minerals and other substances that are said to have a diuretic and blood sugar-lowering effect. Preparations made from bean pods are therefore used for the supportive treatment of urinary tract diseases and for flushing therapy. The blood sugar-lowering effect is possibly due to the chromium salt content. Chromium is an essential trace element that the body needs to form the glucose tolerance factor. Diabetics often have a chromium deficiency. However, as there are hardly any studies available, the use of bean pods as a "diabetic tea" cannot be recommended.

Amino acid composition of the Phaseolus bean protein (g per 16 g N) according to SOUCI, FACHMANN & KRAUT:

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