Sauteed, steamed or cooked in casseroles, green beans are a healthy addition at the dinner table. Although brimming summer harvests of green beans beckon in the fresh vegetable department, don't ignore frozen beans during the colder winter months when beans are out of season. Fresh, frozen and even canned, they provide necessary vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Protein and Carbohydrates
Frozen green beans contain only a modest amount of protein, with 2.24g in 4 oz. They have 7.89g of carbohydrates, 3.8g fiber and 2.41g starch. According to the American Diabetes Association, this low starch value means that green beans are a healthy choice for diabetics who must avoid starchy vegetables.
Vitamins
According to the Berkeley Wellness Letter, the daily Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin A is 2,333 IU for women, and 3,000 IU for men. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 4 oz. of frozen green beans have 857 IU of vitamin A, which is critical to eyes, skin and bones. Four ounces of frozen green beans also have 12.4mg vitamin C, which makes them only a fair source of vitamin C.
Minerals
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that 4 oz. of frozen green beans contains 268mg potassium and 69mg calcium and 33mg magnesium. They contain less than 5mg sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000mg for adults between 19 and 50 and 1,200mg for adults older than 50. The recommended daily allowance for magnesium for men and women older than 31 is 420mg and 320mg, respectively. The National Kidney Foundation says that green beans are a low-potassium choice for kidney patients who must restrict their intake of potassium.
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