Purple green beans: The colourful way to boost your nutrition

Green beans are most often associated with yellow pods, which, after cooking, are generously coated with melted butter and breadcrumbs. The green variety, and indeed the purple version, is less appreciated. Unjustly so, as it turns out, they can be quite surprising in the kitchen.

Simple magic while cooking? Purple green beans are perfect for this. They are not only tasty but also healthy. The raw vegetable has an intense, dark purple colour, which might suggest spoilage but, as long as it is fresh and hasn’t been stored too long, this is not the case.

Purple green beans stand out not only because of their unusual colour but also due to their wealth of nutrients. The inconspicuous pods are a great source of vitamins and minerals that support the body’s functions on many levels. They contain B vitamins, vitamin C, K, and provitamin A. Thanks to this, regular consumption of purple green beans can improve immunity, skin health, and metabolic processes. The purple colouration of the beans is due to anthocyanins, potent antioxidants. Because of this, eating purple green beans can help combat heart diseases, diabetes, and cancers.

Like yellow and green beans, I usually cut off the tips of the individual pods. In accordance with the zero waste idea, they are edible, but when serving dinner to the whole family, I prefer them to go to bio-waste. I place the washed beans into boiling water; after a short while, reduce the heat and cook for about 25 minutes until they become soft. And that’s when I knew there was no trace of the purple colour. I serve the beans green, best with a crispy addition like toasted almond flakes, and drizzle with a small amount of butter.