String beans, also known as green beans or snap beans, provide minimal protein compared with other vegetable protein sources. Because these beans contain so few calories and carbohydrates, however, you can eat them in larger portions, gaining more protein. Women should consume at least 46 g of protein per day, and men at least 56 g, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Protein Per Serving
A ¾-cup serving of cut green beans contains only 1 g of protein. This serving has only 20 calories and 5 g of carbohydrates, including 3 g of dietary fiber and 2 g of sugar. For 100 calories, you can eat 3¾ cups of green beans, containing a total of 5 g of protein.
Nutritional Value
One serving of green beans provides 200 mg of potassium, 3 g of dietary fiber, 4 percent of the daily value of vitamin A and calcium, and 10 percent of the daily value of vitamin C. Low-calorie, fiber-rich vegetables such as green beans can help fill you up with fewer calories. Green beans contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol.
Higher-Protein Vegetables
You can get more protein from many other vegetables, especially legumes. Legumes such as dry beans, peas and lentils provide excellent sources of protein and dietary fiber. A ½-cup serving of small red beans provides 22 g of protein, and the same size serving of black-eyed beans provides 14 g of protein. You can get 7 to 8 g of protein from a ½-cup serving of cooked black beans, cranberry beans, garbanzo beans, lima beans, kidney beans, great northern beans, navy beans, pink beans or pinto beans.
Plant-Based Protein Quality
Plant-based protein sources provide incomplete proteins, meaning they lack one or more essential amino acids. Your body can assemble several incomplete proteins to make one complete protein. Eat vegetable protein sources such as green beans and legumes with whole grains such as brown rice, which provide complementary incomplete proteins.
Member Comments