String beans are a very common form of bean used and grown in Thailand. They are also referred to as green beans and can be bought at their cheapest when they are in season which is from summer to autumn. These beans are one of the few beans that are eaten while fresh.


String beans grow best in tropical regions of the world. Originally they could be found South Mexico and Central America but are now being grown in tropical regions all over the world like Thailand and other Asian countries. They are very popular in Thai food because of their slightly sweet taste. Thai people adore food that is sweet tasting and when it comes to sweetening food they are not afraid to experiment with different things that Westerners might find odd to begin with.

String beans are full of vitamins and other nutrients, vitamin K being the most prominent. They are also very high in vitamin C and vitamin A. 125 grams of these beans can account for between 20-25% of your RDA (recommended daily allowance) of the vitamins mentioned above. You will also find potassium, dietary fibre and iron among other nutrients in string beans.

As you can see string beans a great source of healthy eating, but that is not all they are good for. String beans are full of flavour and colour in keeping with the tradition of Thai and Asian food. String beans also have a fantastic crunchy texture to them, which gives them a refreshing feeling when eaten cold. When you cook them they don’t lose any of their great flavour, also they do a good job of brightening up any meal.

So with all these things going for them it’s not surprising that string beans play an important role in Thai food.