Are fresh French bean seeds edible?

[spuddy]

My purple Empress beans have done really well this year and my tiny freezer can't cope. Some of them are now as long as runners and full of beans. Are these edible? I've only been able to find items on toxicity of beans. I don't know what the seeds would be called - haricot, flagelot etc - and I'm sure it's a sign of the times, but I don't know if I can eat them or not!

I've plenty for seed and don't want to waste any. Any ideas??

[djhs196]

Hey there Spuddy,

French beans are great - you can use the whole pod when very young, as shelled fresh beans, or as dried beans. It's all good and gives a bit more variety from the same plant!

I have read (although I've seen it's nothing authoritative on the subject) that the toxicity applies to eating beans raw. That said, I've also seen recipes with raw shelled beans so I don't know how commonly it's held to.

Thanks,
Douglas

[zazen999]

I hope so, I've got a freezer full of them. They need boiling for 20 mins before eating though, but if you dry them they will need soaking overnight and boiling for a while until soft enough to eat.

Two_Sheds is the expert on the subject, not sure if she is back from Singapore yet or not, but no doubt she will be on here soon. Try the search facility in the meantime as this subject was discussed recently.

[Flummery]

You can most certainly eat your beans freshly shelled. I wouldn't risk them raw though. They improve any stew, casserole or soup and are high in protein.

[Alison]

20 mins seems a very long time to boil them for, especially as I only steam fresh beans for a few minutes and they contain the immature seeds.

[Flummery]

For the dried, it's a 10 min rolling boil, then continue until done. I wouldn't boil fresh beans that long.

[Two_Sheds]

Toxicity - lectin phytohaemagglutinin

Raw bean seeds should be boiled for at least ten minutes in new fresh water to degrade the toxic compound - lectin phytohaemagglutinin - which would otherwise cause severe gastric upset.
This compound is present in many varieties (and in some other species of bean), but is especially concentrated in red kidney beans and white kidney beans (Cannellini beans).

[Flummery]

Sometimes people who say beans don't agree with them have simply not observed this!

[andrewo]

Interesting but can this be done with runner beans too?

[Flummery]

Shelling out and eating the seeds? Yes.

[spuddy]

Thanks for the responses. If I make anything worthwhile I'll let you know!

[Alison]

Raw bean seeds should be boiled for at least ten minutes in new fresh water to degrade the toxic compound - lectin phytohaemagglutinin - which would otherwise cause severe gastric upset.
This compound is present in many varieties (and in some other species of bean), but is especially concentrated in red kidney beans and white kidney beans (Cannellini beans).

OK but at what point does it become a seed which you need to boil for this long? Runner beans have imature seeds inside which I'll eat when only lightly cooked with no ill effects - when do they become a problem? I had always been under then impression it was only when the pods had dried but not too sure why I thought that.

[di]

Think we've just complicated the question even more!!!As we(me & the kiddies)were stuck at the lottie in the pouring rain waiting for Andi to pick us up(long story!)we embarked on shelling all our beans!!Thing is getting a 4 & 6 year old to differentiate between a dried & a nondried bean was none too easy!!So we now have a bowl of some dry,some semi dry & some still fresh beans!!!Not sure I've done the right thing but I've placed them all in a bowl of water for overnight & will give them 20 mins boiling tomorrow before freezing!Sound O.K?

[Two_Sheds]

I've placed them all in a bowl of water for overnight & will give them 20 mins boiling tomorrow before freezing!Sound O.K?

Freeze them straight off the plant. Boil the beans 10 mins before eating.

You only need to soak dried beans (eg. kidney beans), not fresh ones.

[zazen999]

Whether it is 10 mins, or 20 mins; they need good boiling to break down the nasties...My 20 mins comes from boiling them until they are squishable with no hard bits in them. For me, that's a full 20 mins, for the big ones, from frozen.

You'll soon know if they aren't soft enough to eat, I'd suggest eating one when you think they are done, just to check.