Fava beans, as they are called in the Americas, or broad beans as they are more commonly called in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, have been a part of the diet in the eastern Mediterranean since around 6000 BCE.
They grow in broad, leathery pods, like much larger pea pods. Each pod contains three to eight oval beans.
The term broad bean refers to the larger-seeded cultivars that are grown for human food, while the bean or broad bean refers to the cultivars with smaller, harder seeds that are used primarily (but not exclusively) for animal feed. .
The fava bean is a hardy plant. It can withstand harsh and cold climates.
preparing broad beans
Preparing fresh lima beans can be a bit of a hassle.
When shopping for beans, choose green pods that are firm and do not bulge. The bulging pods can be old and often have a bitter taste.
To remove the beans from the pods, simply run your thumbnail along the seam of the pod to pry it open. Scoop out the beans. They are wrapped in thick white fur that needs to be removed.
You can get rid of the skin by using a sharp knife to make a small indentation along the edge of the bean. This will allow the raw beans to pop out. But this is a lot of hard work… bean by bean!
You can prevent this by putting the beans in boiling salted water and parboiling for about a minute and a half. After that, put the beans in ice water so that they stop cooking. Now you can juice the skinless beans, but still… preparing beans is hard work. It takes about 3 pounds or 1.5 kg of fava pods to get a full cup of beans.
culinary uses
Broad beans are generally eaten when they are young and tender. If planted in early winter, they can be harvested in mid-spring. If sown in early spring they will be ready by mid-summer.
Horse beans, on the other hand, are allowed to fully mature. They are harvested in late fall and can be eaten by humans as legumes, although they are more commonly used as animal fodder.
Beans were an important food in the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. They were especially popular with the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Over time they spread along the Nile Valley to Ethiopia, northern India and China.
Beans can be eaten in various ways. For example, you can steam them until tender, then toss them in fresh lemon juice. They are delicious in a mixed green salad. The fava bean puree can be used as a spread on bread or crackers. They are at their best as medammes, which is very popular as a breakfast dish in Arabia. It makes a great lunch.
Making complete medammes is very easy. Fry the finely chopped garlic and onion in a pan with an extremely small amount of virgin olive oil. Once the garlic has softened, add the lima beans and a little water. Bring to a boil and mash the beans with a wooden spatula. Once the goo is very hot, pour it into a bowl and serve with oatcakes (thin sugar-free cookies made from oats).
In parts of Latin America, broad bean puree is used as a filling in corn-based snacks. They are also used whole in vegetable soups.
The beans can also be dry-fried, causing them to open up. You can then season them to produce a flavorful, crunchy snack that is popular in northern Iran, Malaysia, Thailand, China, and Latin America.
The immature pods can also be cooked and eaten. Also, the young leaves of the plant can be eaten, either raw or cooked in the same way as spinach.
How Nutritious Are Fava Beans or Fava Beans?
The simple answer is… very nutritious.
This is what you get in 100 grams of ripe raw seeds:
macronutrients
Energy… 1,425 kJ (341 kcal)
Carbohydrates… 58.29g
Dietary Fiber… 25g
Fat…1.53g
Protein…26.12g
vitamins
Thiamine (B1)…0.555mg…48%
Riboflavin (B2)…0.333mg…28%
Niacin (B3)…2.832mg…19%
Vitamin B6…0 366mg…28%
Folate (B9)…423 μg…106%
Vitamin C…1.4mg…2%
Vitamin K…9mcg…9%
minerals
Calcium…103mg…10%
Iron…6.7mg…52%
Magnesium…192mg…54%
Manganese…1,626mg…77%
Phosphorus…421mg…60%
Potassium…1,062mg…23%
Sodium…13mg…1%
Zinc…3.14mg…33%
μg = micrograms… mg = milligrams… IU = International Units
The percentages refer to the recommended daily amounts for an adult.
As you can see from the above, dietary fiber makes up 25% of lima beans. Another 26% consists of protein.
In addition, broad beans are especially rich in micronutrients such as B vitamins, particularly folate and thiamine. Fava beans are also full of phosphorous, manganese, magnesium, and iron.
Beans are one of the main foods rich in folate (vitamin B9) that exist. Folate helps metabolize your energy, supports your nervous system, and keeps your red blood cells healthy. It is also a must for pregnant women.
Benefits of Eating Fava Beans or Broad Beans
Beans do not directly help diabetics control their blood glucose. But they do help prevent or delay the development of certain adverse medical conditions, many of which arise due to diabetes, such as:
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hypertension
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risk of heart disease and stroke
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weak immune system
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reduced energy
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development of osteoporosis
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poor motor function
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risk of birth defects
Hypertension… 85% of diabetics suffer from high blood pressure. Studies show that magnesium can lower blood pressure. Beans are loaded with magnesium.
According to a meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials covering 545 total participants, magnesium supplements taken for up to 26 weeks resulted in a small reduction in diastolic blood pressure. But another study showed that better results are achieved when magnesium supplements are combined with magnesium-rich vegetables and fruits.
Heart disease and stroke…high blood pressure and diabetes increase the risk of heart disease and stroke by at least three times compared with the risk among the general population. Therefore, improvements in your blood pressure will reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.
weak immune system… is another consequence of diabetes. Healthy white blood cells are necessary to maintain a strong immune system because without them, your body is highly susceptible to disease and infection. White blood cells destroy disease-causing pathogens and help eliminate free radicals found in your body.
Copper helps keep your blood cells healthy, and lima beans contain significant amounts of copper, which helps strengthen your immune system.
reduced energy…many diabetics experience a sluggish feeling. This continuous tiredness may be due to a lack of iron which is required to produce hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to cells throughout the body. Broad beans contain significant amounts of iron and their consumption can help to restore your spirits.
development of osteoporosis… can be prevented to some extent with manganese. Manganese helps increase bone mass and helps reduce calcium deficiency. The beans contain significant amounts of manganese. The US National Library of Medicine suggests that consuming forms of manganese along with calcium, zinc, and copper may help reduce spinal bone loss in older women.
Risk of birth defects… can be reduced with folate (vitamin B9). Fava beans contain very significant amounts of folate which, in addition to being excellent for energy, has long been associated with helping to reduce birth defects.
A meta-analysis of research on folic acid supplementation, published in scientific reports by the US National Library of Medicine’s National Institutes of Health in 2015, found a positive association between folate supplementation and a decreased risk of congenital heart defects.
Birth defects often occur during the first few weeks of pregnancy at a time when many women may not know they are pregnant.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Public Health Service recommend that all women between the ages of 15 and 45 (the childbearing age) consume 0.4 mg (400 μg) of folic acid every day. days to help reduce the risk of birth defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly.
poor motor function… due to Parkinson’s disease can be relieved by eating beans regularly, according to some studies. Research published in the Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research examined the effects of eating fresh lima beans with their outer husks, lima beans dissolved in alcohol and water, and dried lima beans.
The researchers found that increasing the levels of the amino acids L-dopa and C-dopa in the bloodstream of the broad beans led to a significant improvement in motor performance in Parkinson’s patients, without any side effects.
Side Effects of Eating Fava Beans or Broad Beans
Beans are not the tastiest food on the planet. But spice them up a bit and they are a joy to eat. Most people tolerate them very well.
Some people are allergic to lima beans. However, cooking beans thoroughly can help reduce the risk of an allergic reaction.
Eating broad beans can be very harmful if you have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. G6PDD is an inborn problem with your metabolism that predisposes you to a breakdown of your red blood cells. It’s very weird.
This collapse can be triggered by a variety of infections, medications, stress, and some foods such as lima beans. Therefore, if you have G6PDD, you should avoid eating lima beans.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of drugs that have a long history of use in the treatment of depression. These drugs interact unfavorably with other drugs and certain foods, so if you are using these drugs, you should avoid eating lima beans.
Food to go
Despite all of this, it’s a good idea to add lima beans to your diet unless you have a medical condition that may be adversely affected by lima beans or are taking medications that could cause an adverse reaction to lima beans.
But if you can handle them without any health problems, you should take advantage of their potential to reduce your diabetic’s risk of heart disease and stroke, to boost their energy levels and immune system, to help their motor function, etc., by We consume broad beans on a regular basis.
I enjoy a plate of mixed beans with garlic and onion for lunch at least once a week in the form of ful medammes.