Talk:Green bean

Especially in Alaska?
What is this supposed to mean?
 * Green beans are of nearly universal distribution, especially in Alaska.

I'm taking the Alaska bit out pending explanation. Acsenray 15:29, 5 June 2006 (UTC)

What about this: "Nutritionally, green beans are a healthy vegetable..." — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.124.116.101 (talk) 07:23, 4 February 2020 (UTC)

I think that they meant "EVEN in Alaska."Drsruli (talk) 20:15, 13 June 2022 (UTC)

That's a lot of very specific information about nomenclature in the Philippines, for an opening paragraph. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.124.116.101 (talk) 01:30, 24 June 2020 (UTC)

Removed text
I removed this text because it's about the plant (and I'm guessing it's specifically about the common bean), while this article is about a way of using the fruits of several different plants.


 * Pests and diseases include root rot, nematodes, and several species of fungi, including rust and anthrocnose. Green beans can also suffer from iron and magnesium deficiency, which causes the leaves to wilt and sometimes turn a yellowish color.


 * The flowers of a snap bean plant are small and can be black or white.

Leafeater 18:31, 19 June 2006 (UTC)

Nutritional value
It seems unlikely (although not unimaginable) that all green beans have the same nutritional value. I imagine the USDA database uses the phrase to refer specifically to green common beans, so I suggest moving the nutritional data to that article. &mdash; Pekinensis 00:12, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

Means green beans as commonly sold in USA, which do tend to be the same species. Any natural food can have variable nutritional information, but actually, all green beans do tend to be similar. (Even all of the mature varieties of the same species are fairly similar nutritionally, differences are relatively minor. More so, when immature.) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.124.116.101 (talk) 01:32, 24 June 2020 (UTC)

can anyone tell me about black string beans. they are green inside but the outside is the color of an eggplant. I have never seen them before but my husband brought them home from someone at work thank you patsy

Proposal to merge
Merge. Green bean is a type of the common bean and should be a subsection within that article. Onionmon 22:17, 23 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Merge Agree - this article is a mess anyway FlagSteward 15:28, 31 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Merge - plus cleanup when doing so. -- Nashville Monkey 18:36, 5 September 2007 (UTC)
 * Comment - I think that the article Common Bean could get really long. If each variety is discussed in detail, that article will get long.  Though it might not...  I have no objection to merge but I feel like in 3 months we're going to be looking to split the bean varieties out.  Go For It.  Dachande 02:19, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

Instead of a merge, perhaps this article can be renamed to incorporate all snap/stringless beans, including yellow wax, purple, etc. I recently added a list of varieties to the common bean article under snap beans; that could be moved here if this is renamed to include all. n2xjk (talk) 19:21, 23 March 2009 (UTC)
 * I moved the variety list here from the Common bean article. n2xjk (talk) 15:18, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

Are Peas really called green beans?
The opening section states that peas are called green beans. I've never heard them call that in the UK. Markb 08:46, 9 September 2007 (UTC)
 * Yeah, there's a fair bit of US-bias in there. In the UK the only legume pods that are eaten are haricots (which are known as French beans or simply green beans, the only variety thus named in British English), mangetouts (=sugarsnap peas and similar varieties) and sliced runner beans (P. coccineus). The current intro seems very US-oriented. But it would be worth sorting out what this article is actaully about before merging it with Common bean.  In British English there is little confusion with other species, so a merger is easy from a UK perspective, but it seems that US Wikipedians are using "green bean" to refer to the pods of many species, in which case a merger may be a less good idea. FlagSteward 15:26, 4 October 2007 (UTC)
 * I shall make a change to reflect this. Markb 12:16, 10 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Now the article reads, "Apparently, the Pea is also classed as a Green Bean in the USA." Apparently? It either is, or isn't. It's not exactly a word that works well in an encyclopedia article... -- Captain Disdain 22:27, 10 October 2007 (UTC)
 * In the south we never call peas green beans. As a child we shelled our own peas and they were always called "peas". The tiny green colored "peas" were always called "english peas" for what it's worth. So I'm not sure who calls "peas" "green beans". Maybe just the original author of that text on wikipedia, and no one else. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.169.218.125 (talk) 14:44, 14 May 2008 (UTC)


 * I've lived in Philadelphia for thirty years, and have never once heard a pea referred to as a green bean. We call them sugar snap peas, baby pea pods, snow peas, or chinese pea pods.  I've never heard them referred to as green beans.72.78.174.221 (talk) 11:53, 23 August 2008 (UTC)

Some peas in pods, if they resemble green beans closely enough, and are used the same way, would be referred to as "Green Beans" here. Not sure if any are, commercially.

If referring to a group of items containing green beans, sugar snap peas, and snow peas, for example, would just call the whole lot "That bunch of green beans over there." No need to distinguish. (Would anybody say, "those green beans and peas"? Maybe?) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Drsruli (talk • contribs) 01:37, 24 June 2020 (UTC)

green bean info.
this page tells what it is but, can you post more info by 2morrow @ -noon?-abby9600 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Abby9600 (talk • contribs) 23:27, 30 September 2008 (UTC)

greenbeanisgreenbean —Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.255.7.226 (talk) 12:25, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

Haricots verts redirect
I think Haricots verts should redirect here since English recipes use that term (for example see http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=printerFriendly&recipe_id=1065492)

Kevink707 (talk) 01:23, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

Why do the British call green beans French beans?
Green beans, apparently, come originally from South America yet we in the UK call them French beans so where did this name come from? --87.114.9.241 (talk) 08:21, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

Because the French popularized them (hence, "haricots verts"), and also because even though they aren't sliced this way, they resemble vegetables sliced long and thin, julienne style, in the same fashion that in USA we have French Fries. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Drsruli (talk • contribs) 01:41, 24 June 2020 (UTC)

Vietnam?
How is it relevant what green beans are called in Vietnam as opposed to anywhere else in the world? What are greens beans called in Sweden, Brazil, Portugal?


 * True... people add these things sometimes, and the danger is we can have a loooong list of foreign names. --Chriswaterguy talk 00:39, 16 May 2010 (UTC)

Toxic when raw?
I've found some online references to them being toxic when raw - like raw dried beans, but less so. Clearly they're not highly toxic as they're often eaten raw but apparently it's not something to eat a lot of in raw form...

I don't have a good references suitable for Wikipedia though, so I haven't added anything on this. If you know where to find such references, please add. --Chriswaterguy talk 00:44, 16 May 2010 (UTC)

I think it is important to mention the danger. For the moment I have put a cross-reference to Lectin in the article. -- 85.181.130.62 (talk) 12:56, 16 July 2011 (UTC)
 * No more information on this? The Jade Knight (talk) 22:33, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

"Green beans" is American?
Is there a source for this? I'm English, and everyone I know calls them green beans - I don't know whether this is specific to my region (east London), but the term certainly isn't just American. Anthrcer (click to talk to me) 14:34, 21 August 2011 (UTC)

Runner beans
Runner beans are not the same as what are called green or French beans in the UK. 195.194.187.132 (talk) 11:25, 26 August 2011 (UTC)

The string in "string bean"
This article could be improved if referenced material could be found on the string in string beans. The current version mentions that they are called "string beans in the northeastern and western United States" and says that the "first "stringless" bean was bred in 1894" but does not explain what the string is. Does the string have to be removed from all varieties of non-stringless string beans before all forms of cooking? De-stringing beans seems to be a common and time consuming task prior to cooking many varieties of this bean. -- 203.82.81.45 (talk) 02:16, 28 August 2012 (UTC)

Odd sources and possible errors in text
I found a couple of useful informative sources for this article while investigating the term "haricot verts".

One of these sources says:

"'Green beans' is a general name that covers many related types of beans—and is also used to describe the most common type sold, which are a variety called Blue Lake. Those are the classic green beans—the ones we all grew up with and that our grandmothers called string beans. They are no longer really “string beans” though, says Robert Schuller, Melissa’s Produce spokesperson (and Cooking Light “Produce Guru”). The tough string was bred out of the most common varieties about 30 years ago.'"

I added the bold because I think this Robert Schuller person may be a source that is WP citeable, just not from the page I found this quote on. Does anybody here know this guy and can they provide a better way to cite him?

On that same website it also says (but no source is mentioned):

"Haricot vert, also known as French beans, are a thinner, shorter variety—usually about 4-inches long (while Blue Lake green beans are 5-7 inches). They cook in about half the time, and are more tender than Blue Lake green beans."

Also, according to this forum discussion answer the information in the 2nd lead paragraph (which is unsourced) is very wrong:

"Haricot Vert" are not Italian beans. They're French. Nor are "Italian" beans in any way like regular green/string beans.

Italian (aka "Romano") beans are wide & flat, & can be eaten young as fresh pod beans, or shelled & eaten as fresh shell beans, or allowed to mature & dry, & then shelled & used as dried shell beans.

"Haricot Vert" are only eaten fresh at a very young stage, but they can also be allowed to mature & dry, & can then be shelled & used as dry beans also. The only edible stage that is skipped is allowing the beans to get as large as regular snap beans, as true Haricot Vert become rather tough at the stage that we normally eat regular green beans at.

These two sources contradict the 2nd lead paragraph on at least 2 points (see bold text):

"Haricots verts, French for 'green beans', also known as French beans, French green beans, French filet beans, Fine beans (British English), is a variety of green bean that is longer, thinner, crisp, and tender.[citation needed] It is different from the haricot bean, which is a dry bean."

So according to these commenters (definitely not WP:RS but people who at least sounds well informed) haricot verts are shorter and haricort beans are the same bean just more mature and dried. Those details appear to be echoed by several other commenters so I tend to think the majority may be right on these facts.

Is anybody here a botanist or agriculturist who can sort all this out? 104.32.193.6 (talk) 01:16, 28 January 2015 (UTC)

Wax beans
The list of varieties used to include some wax types, but they were removed a while ago, leaving just green (or purple which turn green when cooked) in the list. Where do you think wax bean varieties should be mentioned if not this article? The Phaseolus vulgaris article currently has a section 'Green beans and wax beans'. n2xjk (talk) 19:53, 1 August 2015 (UTC)

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Variety list
The current list of bush beans only lists 4 varieties, of which only one you'd have much likelihood of finding on the seed rack of a local store. Further this list used to be larger, but it was cut down a while back. I'll update this list to around 6 items, more likely to be on the seed rack. n2xjk (talk) 22:46, 23 December 2018 (UTC)

Phillipines
Why is there so much about where green beans are farmed in the Phillipines in the lede/intro? From the article it doesn't seem like the Phillipines is even one of the biggest producers of green beans, so this doesn't seem notable especially for the intro. -KaJunl (talk) 20:18, 26 July 2020 (UTC)

"Hari-Faliyan" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect Hari-Faliyan. The discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2020 August 19 until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. Steel1943 (talk) 02:19, 19 August 2020 (UTC)

Flavonoid content
This revert was justified because the flavonoid mentioned, a glycoside, has unknown importance, so the content is WP:UNDUE. The outdated sources used (19-23 years ago) are from primary research, indicating no review has placed these compounds in any context for importance. There is no good evidence they have "antioxidant" roles in vivo. is edit warring to include the content and sources. Discuss here to establish consensus, WP:CON. Zefr (talk) 16:17, 14 June 2022 (UTC)


 * I thought that my last submission addressed these issues. No claims were made about antioxidant effect (it is only demonstrated in human plasma). The substance IS noted for being present in green beans. "Green beans are a noted source of the flavonol glucuronide miquelianin, an uncommon dietary phytochemical with unknown effects in vivo." (and sources for such.) Drsruli (talk) 16:31, 14 June 2022 (UTC)
 * The information is trivial, WP:UNDUE, similar to saying that green beans contain chlorophyll, a green pigment with no known effect in humans. Zefr (talk) 16:42, 14 June 2022 (UTC)


 * Except that chlorophyll is common to green plants, but miquelianin is not. Drsruli (talk) 16:45, 14 June 2022 (UTC)
 * If this had any importance, review articles would have discussed it. There are only the most basic lab studies published on miquelianin, i.e., primary research too preliminary to include in an encyclopedia. Zefr (talk) 17:02, 14 June 2022 (UTC)

It's notable because it's unusual. Its presence is well-documented. This isn't just an article about green beans as a plant, but also as a food. Drsruli (talk) 17:23, 14 June 2022 (UTC)