Are Green Beans Keto Friendly? Can you have green beans on a low carb diet? Total net carbs in green beans and an easy green bean recipe idea.
Are Green Beans Keto Friendly?
If you’re wondering are green beans keto friendly, then this blog post will answer that question.
And the answer is – Yes! Green beans, sometimes known as string beans or snap beans are very nourishing low-carb beans, providing a good source of vitamins and minerals.
With their high fiber content, they are one of those low-carb vegetables that are tasty and great in keeping your carb count low. Especially important when following a strict keto diet, regardless of whether you have fresh green beans or frozen green beans.
How Many Carbs In Green Beans?
The nutritional content per 100g serving of green beans is as follows:
- Calories 35
- Total Fat 0.3g (saturated fat 0.1g)
- Grams of total carbs 7.9g
- Grams of fiber 3.2g
- Grams of net carbs 4.7 g
- Sugars 3.2g
- Grams of protein 1.9g
As a typical serving size is often a cup of green beans, below is the nutritional macronutrient breakdown for a cup of green beans if you’d prefer.
- Calories 44
- Total Fat 0.4g (saturated fat 0.1g)
- Grams of total carbs 9.9g
- Grams of fiber 4g
- Grams of net carbs 5.9g
- Sugars 4.5g
- Grams of protein 2.4g
Apart from the low carb beans green beans and black soybeans. The general rule is that all other varieties of beans and legumes (when following a low carb diet) are off limits due to the high grams of carbs found within them.
Below is a more detailed list of the types of beans to avoid on a keto or low carb diet.
- Baked beans
- Black beans
- Black-eyed peas
- Cannellini beans
- Chickpeas
- Great Northern beans
- Green peas
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
- Lima beans
- Navy beans
- Pinto beans
Health Benefits
Thanks to being packed full of nutrients there are loads of health benefits to eating green beans, making it an excellent ingredient for a healthy side dish or part of a main course.
For example, thanks to its high vitamin C content, green beans have great antioxidant benefits and helps boost immunity.
Vitamin K is also present which can be hard to acquire naturally even in most healthy diet’s. Vitamin K has been linked to decreasing hardening of the blood vessels, decrease risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. If you include olive oil and some extra egg yolks (both high in vitamin K) it makes it a vitamin K powerhouse.
While I have included a more detailed lists of both vitamins and mineral and its health benefits below. Thanks to green beans thiamine content it has shown to help in weight weight loss and improve metabolic function, part of why green beans are such a good choice while living a ketogenic lifestyle.
Below is a a more comprehensive list of the nutritional micronutrient content of green beans :
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Vitamins A
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
- Manganese,
- Iron,
- Potassium,
- Folate,
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phenol
Green beans health benefits can help with the following health conditions:
- Diabetes blood sugar levels
- Osteoporosis
- Arthrosclerosis – hardening of the blood vessels
- Promotes satiety
- Lowers cholesterol levels
- Boost immune function
- Heart disease
- Weight loss
Fresh vs Frozen Green Beans
In a study that compared fresh and frozen green beans it found green beans may decrease vitamin C content if in a refrigerator, but increase its vitamin C content if freshly frozen.
Which suggests to me that however you can get hold of them its a good idea to include green beans as part of a healthy diet.
Green Bean Recipe
Here’s an easy low-carb green bean casserole recipe ideal for a low-carb diet or if you want to control your carb intake.
This makes a perfect easy keto side dish if you are wanting to add some healthy green beans or a little bit of green veggies to your eating plan.
- 1.1lb/500g Green Beans, chopped
- 1/2 to 1 Onion, peeled and chopped
- 2-3 Fresh garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Sour Cream or cream cheese
- 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Cream
- 1/2 to 1 Cup Grated Cheese such cheddar or parmesan cheese
- Add sea salt & white or black pepper, to taste
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease a baking dish.
- Heat butter or coconut oil in a frying pan and, when hot, add in the chopped green beans, onion and garlic.
- Add in salt and pepper, to taste, then cook for a few minutes, until the vegetables have softened slightly.
- Move the cooked vegetables to the prepared baking dish.
- Pour over the sour cream, cream and half of the cheese, then stir through until fully combined.
- Top the casserole with the rest of the grated cheese, adding more if needed.
- Move the casserole to the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and cooked through, then serve and enjoy.
More Ketogenic Diet Inspiration
Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.
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