Know2eat

Wax beans

Phaseolus vulgaris

What wax beans has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About wax beans

The immature pods of the common bean, in the yellow-podded form that lacks chlorophyll. Apart from colour and a slightly milder flavour they are the same vegetable as green beans.

Also known as Yellow snap beans, Yellow green beans, String beans, Beurre beans

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood glucose response

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Insufficient evidence

Green and wax bean pods appear in folk remedies for diabetes and are sold as extracts on that basis. Human trials of the pods are absent, and the pulse literature that does support a glycaemic effect concerns mature dried beans.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Wax beans

Ask about Wax beans

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories31 kcal2%
Protein1.82 g4%
Total fat0.12 g0%
Carbohydrate7.13 g3%
Fibre3.4 g12%
Total sugars3.27 g—
Water90.3 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.026 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.0050 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.059 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.023 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin C16.3 mg18%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.41 mg3%
Vitamin K43.2 µg36%
Thiamin (B1)0.084 mg7%
Riboflavin (B2)0.105 mg8%
Niacin (B3)0.752 mg5%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.094 mg2%
Vitamin B60.074 mg4%
Folate37 µg9%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline15.3 mg3%
Minerals
Calcium37 mg3%
Iron1.04 mg6%
Magnesium25 mg6%
Phosphorus38 mg3%
Potassium209 mg4%
Sodium6 mg0%
Zinc0.24 mg2%
Copper0.069 mg8%
Manganese0.214 mg9%
Selenium0.6 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.66 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Beans, snap, yellow, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169320).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces vitamin C and folate

    Both nutrients are water-soluble and a substantial share leaches into boiling water. Steaming or stir-frying retains more.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Raw snap beans and lectins

    The phytohaemagglutinin that makes raw kidney beans dangerous is present in snap bean pods at far lower levels, and a few raw beans are not a hazard. Some people do report nausea after eating a large quantity raw, and cooking removes the question entirely.

  • Interaction

    Vitamin K

    Snap beans carry moderate vitamin K1. As with other green vegetables, the issue on warfarin is a sudden change in how much you eat rather than the food itself.

  • Too much

    Moderate FODMAP content

    Snap beans are tolerated in small portions on a low-FODMAP diet but contain enough fructan and sorbitol that larger servings can provoke symptoms.