Vegetables and mushrooms · IFCT 2017
Scarlet runner bean: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, tender scarlet runner bean pods give 43 kcal, 2.9 g protein, 5.2 g carbohydrate and 4.5 g fibre, according to IFCT 2017. Their 227 mg of the plant omega-3 fat ALA ranks 1st of 36 vegetables with a value, and riboflavin ranks 3rd of 39. It is a climbing bean of hill gardens, grown from Kashmir to Meghalaya for its long green pods and large seeds.
About scarlet runner bean
The scarlet runner bean, Phaseolus coccineus, is a vigorous climber with bright red flowers, grown on tall poles in cool hill gardens where summers are mild. Its long, flat, slightly rough pods are picked young as a vegetable; left on the vine, they swell into big, mottled purple and black beans that are dried like rajma. IFCT 2017 records names in 7 languages: sem in Hindi, sem fali in Punjabi, hyambi in Kashmiri, hawai ashaangbi in Manipuri, u buri in Khasi, lesera mah in Assamese and chodi in Gujarati.
In Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the young pods are cut into diagonal pieces and cooked like French beans with potato and garlic. In Meghalaya, Manipur and Sikkim they go into light stir-fries and stews with pork or dried fish, and the dried seeds are simmered as a bean curry through the winter.
What scarlet runner bean brings to a meal
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Top vegetable for omega-3 ALA
Scarlet runner pods carry 227 mg of alpha-linolenic acid, the plant omega-3 fat, per 100 g, ranking 1st of 36 vegetables and 39th of 203 foods. Their 1.0 g fat per 100 g is high for a green pod.
- 02
Fibre and folate
Each 100 g of pods supplies 4.5 g dietary fibre and 45 micrograms of folate, the folate meeting 20 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Fibre helps keep digestion regular.
- 03
B vitamins in the pod
The pods have 0.12 mg riboflavin, 3rd of 39 vegetables, 0.13 mg thiamine and 0.31 mg vitamin B6. That B6 covers 13 per cent of a man's daily need and 16 per cent of a woman's.
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Vitamin K1, low potassium
Scarlet runners hold 60.1 micrograms of vitamin K1 per 100 g but only 164 mg potassium, ranking 31st of 39 vegetables for it. Their vitamin C is also modest at 6.6 mg.
Scarlet runner bean nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 43 kcal | 2% | 3% |
| Protein | 2.9 g | 5% | 6% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 5.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 4.5 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1 g | ||
| Total fat | 1 g | ||
| Water | 85.5 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.27 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.05 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.43 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 227 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 43 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Iron | 0.73 mg | 4% | 3% |
| Zinc | 0.57 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Magnesium | 44 mg | 10% | 12% |
| Phosphorus | 62 mg | ||
| Potassium | 164 mg | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.17 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 6.6 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Beta-carotene | 36 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.13 mg | 7% | 8% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.12 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.52 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.31 mg | 13% | 16% |
| Folate (B9) | 45 µg | 15% | 20% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.15 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 60.1 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Scarlet runner bean: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/vegetables/scarlet-runner-bean/
Where scarlet runner bean sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 38 vegetables and mushrooms and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In vegetables and mushrooms | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 227 mg | 1st of 36 | 39th of 202 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.13 mg | 6th of 39 | 64th of 239 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.12 mg | 3rd of 39 | 67th of 241 |
| Folate (B9) | 45 µg | 14th of 39 | 72nd of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 36 µg | 21st of 31 | 82nd of 160 |
How scarlet runner bean is eaten
- Sem aloo in Himachal and Uttarakhand: young pods cut on the diagonal and cooked dry with potato, garlic and coriander powder.
- Kashmiri hyambi: pods simmered with mustard oil, hing, fennel and dried ginger powder.
- Pork and bean stew in Meghalaya and Nagaland: sliced pods cooked with pork, ginger and green chilli.
- Beans poriyal style: finely chopped pods stir-fried with coconut, mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Dried seeds soaked overnight and cooked like rajma in an onion, tomato and ginger gravy.
Before you plan around it
Like kidney beans, scarlet runner beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, a lectin that causes vomiting and diarrhoea if the beans are eaten raw or undercooked. Young pods cooked through are safe. Mature, dried seeds must be soaked and then boiled hard for at least ten minutes before simmering until soft; slow cookers on low heat do not get hot enough. Older pods turn stringy, so pull off the side strings and pick pods before the seeds bulge.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about scarlet runner bean
Can you eat scarlet runner bean pods?
Yes. Young pods are a common vegetable in hill regions and IFCT 2017 lists them with 43 kcal and 4.5 g fibre per 100 g. Pick them while they are slim and snap cleanly, remove the strings, and cook them well like French beans.
Are scarlet runner beans the same as rajma?
They are close relatives in the same genus but a different species. Rajma is Phaseolus vulgaris; the scarlet runner is Phaseolus coccineus, with larger seeds and red flowers. The dried seeds are cooked in the same way as rajma.
Are runner beans poisonous?
Raw or undercooked beans can cause stomach upset because of a natural lectin, as with kidney beans. Thorough cooking destroys it. Cooked pods and well-boiled dried seeds are safe to eat.
Related foods and tables
French beans
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Field beans (fresh pods)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cluster beans (gawar)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Broad beans
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rajma (red kidney beans)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) per 100 g.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by riboflavin (vitamin b2) per 100 g.
All vegetables and mushrooms
39 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.