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Green beans belong to the Fabaceae family and are cultivated in temperate, tropical, or subtropical climates. They are the pods of the beans, and the dried beans or peas are their developed seeds. These can have different shapes: flat, round, cord-like, and eight-shaped.

The season for green beans is spring and summer, and their varieties are classified according to their cultivation: early, mid-season, or late:

• Flat or red runner beans: flattened, wide, and long, tender and stringless, they cook well.
• Bobi beans: tubular-shaped pods, smaller than the runner beans, thick and meaty.
• Fine beans: a less plump variety.
• Garrofón: a variety with thick, flat grains.

They contain a lot of water, carbohydrates, starch, fiber, protein, and few fats, lipids, and calories; therefore, they are recommended in weight-loss diets. They are rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B3, and B6; in minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, chromium, and iodine; as well as folic acid, beta-carotene, amino acids, and antioxidants. They are beneficial in combating diseases such as gout, arthritis, and kidney stones. They also help to prevent anemia and cholesterol, strengthen the immune system, regulate intestinal transit, are diuretic and detoxifying, and help prevent hypertension.

They are a very healthy food due to their high content of vitamins and minerals.