Botanical name:Vicia faba L.
Family name:Fabaceae
Common names:
Vicia faba, also called broad bean, fava bean, field bean, faba bean bell bean, or tic bean belongs to flowering plant species and the family of bean known as Fabaceae.
Vicia faba is originally planted in North Africa, southwest, and south Asia, and it is also planted in many countries.
Also, there is a variety of Vicia faba var. equine Pers. Like horse bean which has been recognized lately
Culinary uses:
Fava beans (Broad beans – faba beans) were the main dish for old Mediterranean civilizations, especially for the Romans and Ancient Greeks.
in China, Malaysia, Colombia, Peru (habas saladas), Guatemala (habas), Mexico (habas con chile), Gilan (North of Iran), and Thailand (where their name means “open-mouth nut”) they fry the beans till the skin becomes open ten put salt and/ or spice and it is considered there as a savory, crunchy snack
The fava beans (faba beans) is known in some Arab countries as ful medames and they eat it as breakfast
Fava beans (faba beans) are major in Latin American dishes, also in central Mexico; mashed fava beans are known as filling for many corn flour-based antojito snacks such as tlacoyos. In Colombia, it is used in vegetable soups. Many Latin countries consider dried and salted fava beans (faba beans) as a snack
In Egypt, Fava beans (Arabic: فول fūl pronounced [fuːl]) are a famous food and traditional dish in the Egyptian diet whether for the rich or poor. They cook them in different ways may be shelled and then dried, they buy it dry and then cook it after adding water to it in very low for several heat hours, etc. After that, it is served with bread as breakfast after adding some spices like salt, cumin, and oil to mashed cooked beans it is called ful medames. Not only do the Egyptians eat Fava Beans but also they use them as an important ingredient of Falafel
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) (Fava beans, mature seeds, raw)
Energy 1,425 kJ (341 kcal)
Carbohydrates
58.29 grams
Dietary fiber 25 grams
Fat
1.53 grams
Protein
26.12 grams
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1) (48%) 0.555 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (28%) 0.333 mg
Niacin (B3) (19%) 2.832 mg
Vitamin B6 (28%) 0.366 mg
Folate (B9) (106%) 423 mg
Vitamin C (2%) 1.4 mg
Vitamin K (9%) 9 mg
Minerals
Calcium (10%) 103 mg
Iron (52%) 6.7 mg
Magnesium (54%) 192 mg
Manganese (77%) 1.626 mg
Phosphorus (60%) 421 mg
Potassium (23%) 1062 mg
Sodium (1%) 13 mg
Zinc (33%) 3.14 mg
Health benefits of fava beans (Broad beans – faba beans)
1) Like other Beans, Broad beans have very high protein and energy, so around 100 g of beans contain 341 calories as well they also provide plenty of health-benefiting antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and plant sterols.
2) The beans are considered a rich source of dietary fiber because 100 gm contains 66% of dietary fiber which helps to protect the colon mucosa by decreasing the time of its exposure to toxic substances besides binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon it also reduces levels of blood cholesterol by decreasing re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids in the colon and it works also as laxative
3) Broad beans have rich phytonutrients like isoflavone and plant sterols. Isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein have been found to protect against breast cancer in laboratory animals also Phytosterols, especially ß-sitosterol, are working to help decrease cholesterol levels in the body
The Romans ate the Beans during times of drought after mixing it with corn flour
The ancient Egyptian and Broad beans
Broad beans have smell flowers from which they extract fragrance
They used drenched as a treatment for Diabetes
Its powder was used as a killer and as a laxative
Beans have been found in a tomb in the era of the twelfth Dynasty (2000-1788) BC
They also used it as dressing for the knee to kill the pain
Also, they used it as crème for glands