Vegetable of the month: French beans

French beans grow incredibly fast, going from planting to harvest in as few as 45 days. They produce white, pink or purple flowers which are pollinated by insects such as butterflies and bees.>

Growing

French beans are harvested while the beans are still in their pod before they have a chance to mature. This makes them smaller than the common green bean and gives them a softer pod. In addition to being a tasty treat, they improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen with their roots.

Nutrition

French beans’ delicate, crisp texture and sweet, slightly grassy flavour make them incredibly versatile. French beans are a rich source of protein, carbohydrate and fibre. They also contain vitamins of the B group (including folic acid), vitamins C and K, as well as minerals such as magnesium, iron and manganese. This makes them great for combatting anaemia.

Poison dart?

When eaten raw, they are very mildly toxic. Nevertheless, you can still include raw French beans in your salad or eat them fresh from the garden as long as you do so in moderation. Just don’t make them the staple of a raw food diet or drink large quantities in a green smoothie. Cooking breaks down the toxins and makes the beans perfectly safe to eat in any quantity.