Fava beans (Broad beans) Nutrition Facts & 8 Supercharged Health Benefits

To keep your body healthy with field beans

Field beans are also known as a broad bean, fava bean or faba bean is a species of family Fabaceae. It is also used as a cover crop, the bell bean which has tiny beans. 

Field beans are stiffly erect plant in the Fabaceae family, native to North Africa and Southwest Asia but now widely cultivated anywhere. It is grown for its ovoid shaped seeds. 

Field beans were cultivated for 8000 years in the Middle East and then spread to Western Europe. The cultivation of field bean was started from 6,800 to 6,500 years BC. Today, field bean is cultivated all over the world, is native to North Africa and Southwest Asia. 

They are now widely grown in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Asia and to a lesser extent in Africa. 

There are three main varieties of Broad beans such as Longpod, Windsor and Dwarf varieties. 

Field beans are rich in fiber, folate, B vitamins and protein, which help in reducing inflammation. They also contain phytonutrients called isoflavones that have powerful antioxidant properties and help in boosting immunity.

Field beans are also an excellent source of Copper, iron, zinc and vitamin B6 which all are associated with improving the immune system. All these nutrients help in increasing the number of white blood cells, which in turn helps in defending the body against the attack of the disease.

Field beans are rich with threonine which may boost the immune system by enhancing the antibodies production. The threonine produces the serine and glycine which is essential for the collagen, muscle tissue and elastin production. So it makes healthy and strong connective muscles and tissues by increasing the production of serine and glycine. 

Many Studies shows that copper in field beans can helps to maintain healthy white blood cells which can contribute to immune health in human being.

MAIN THING: Field beans Contain immune-boosting nutrients can stronger you immune system.

Field beans are highly concentrated with iron. Iron helps in the prevention of brain disease as well as increase brain energy.

Fava beans are rich in levodopa (L-dopa), which converts into the neurotransmitter dopamine in your body can maintain brain health.

Dopamine-producing brain cells death in Parkinson’s disease, which symptoms are tremors, issues with motor function and difficulty walking. Medication contain L-dopa use to treat these symptoms

A research conducted on 11 people suffer with Parkinson’s disease found that eating 250 g of field beans has positive effect on blood dopamine levels and motor function as L-dopa drugs.

MAIN THING: Iron and L-dopa found in field can boost your brain health and help in Parkinson’s disease symptoms but still more study require on this topic.

Field beans contain a wide range of cancer-fighting plant chemicals, specifically, isoflavones and phytosterols which are associated with reduced cancer risk. 

Selenium is minerals which not present in most fruits and vegetables, but it can be found in field beans. It helps the enzymes of the liver and detoxifies some cancer cells in the body. Selenium also prevents inflammation and decreases tumor growth rates and prevents cancer. 

Field beans also contain folate, which plays an important role in DNA synthesis and repairment, and so field beans help prevent the formation of cancer cells by directly work on the DNA. Field beans have phytochemicals that prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading throughout the body.

High-fiber in field beans lowered the risk of colorectal cancer. Vitamin C also present in field beans which functions as a powerful antioxidant and helps protect cells against free radical damage.

MAIN THING: Regular consumption of field beans may help in preventing different types of cancers like bowel, breast, colon and lung cancer.

Field beans are rich in soluble fibers which play an important role in controlling blood cholesterol levels. Field beans also contain saponins and phytosterols, which help lower cholesterol. 

Potassium is the main mineral that is found in field beans that acts as a vasodilator, reduces the blood vessels constriction and also reduces blood pressure. Field beans are good for those who suffer from hypertension. So add field beans to the daily diet because they are highly preventive for the cardiovascular disease. 

Field beans are also low on cholesterol making it an excellent choice to maintain or improve heart health. High cholesterol levels are linked to major heart conditions including heart attacks and atherosclerosis.

MAIN THING: Field beans contain dietary fiber, potassium and low cholesterol which help to maintain a healthy heart by reducing the blood pressure and preventing atherosclerosis.

Field beans also contain tryptophan. Tryptophan provides the sedative effect that helps to provide sound sleep. 

Lack of sleep causes a reduction in memory, concentration, depression, weight gain, muscle aches, and others. Tryptophan is an aid for the problems related to insomnia or sleep apnea without side effects.

MAIN THING: Tryptophan in field beans help to cure sleep disorder and also promoted overall health.

The iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K is rich in chickpeas it all contributes to building and maintaining bone structure and strength. 

Phosphate and calcium are both important in bone structure and strength, so careful balance of the two minerals is necessary for proper bone mineralization. 

Chickpeas have minerals like manganese iron, and zinc that play crucial roles in the production and maturation of collagen which is good for bone matrix. 

Vitamin K is important for good bone health because it improves calcium absorption by reducing the urinary excretion of calcium. A low intake of vitamin K is associated with a higher risk of bone fracture. 

MAIN THING: Regular intake of field beans can promote your bone health.

Field beans are a great dietary source of iron that can help in fulfilling the body’s requirement of mineral and avoid anemia. This is the reason to advise to taken field beans in the diet regularly to the women who are pregnant, lactating and menstruating, growing children and individuals at high-risk of anemia.

MAIN THING: Regularly eating field beans can increase iron level in blood which help to prevent anemia.

Field beans contain folate which prevents birth defects in newborns and is an absolute must in a pregnant woman’s diet.

Many Studies suggested that deficiency of dietary folate in pregnant women concluded that major birth defects folate can prevented.

Another study shows that folate in field beans can prevent miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight.

MAIN THING:  Recommended intake of field beans can prevent birth defects as well as miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight.

Toxicity: If a person takes a monoamine oxidase inhibitor to treat depression, avoid field beans because they can interact with medication and raise blood pressure.

Migraine: Field beans trigger migraines or an allergic reaction in some people.

Raw, mature but green seeds of field beans can be used as vegetables. Choose clean, dry, whole or split field beans packed in bins or bags in the grocery stores and wholesale markets. Avoid insect damaged, broken and mold-inflicted seeds. 

Storage of field beans as whole dry beans in plastic/steel containers away from moisture and heat. Whole seeds can keep well for several months if conserved in air-tight bins.

Raw, green field beans can be kept in the home refrigerator for 2-3 days and shelled peas used like vegetables. Do not deep-freeze the whole pods as they sustain a chilling injury.