The history of broad beans is a long story of love and hate: periods of great diffusion have alternated with periods of little popularity and superstition. Broad beans appear in the Bible (before the Last Judgment) and in Homer's Iliad, they were found in Neolithic excavations and in Egyptian tombs; together with lentils they were cultivated in the Mediterranean area as early as the Bronze and Iron Ages. In Greece the broad beans called Cyamos were not very popular as it was believed that the souls of the deceased could be hidden inside this legume. On the contrary, the Celts were great consumers of it as they believed that it helped fertility. Plato believed that they caused a strong swelling (due to the fermentation in the digestion of legumes), harmful to the spiritual tranquility of those who sought the truth, while Pliny wrote: "... it is believed that (the broad bean) numbs the senses and causes visions". At the Roman festivals dedicated to the goddess Flora, broad beans were thrown into the crowd as a wish for prosperity and good luck. In Ancient Rome at the time of the emperor Tiberius the consumption of broad beans is testified by the gastronome Apicius who includes them in his recipes, which have come down to us with De re coquinaria, a collection of around 450 recipes.
Pythagoras hated them so much that he avoided every slightest contact, and this aversion was fatal to him. Rather than escaping to safety through a field of broad beans from the soldiers of the tyrant Dionysius, he ran into an open place, was overtaken and perished in the battle. Despite everything, broad beans maintained their primacy among all the species of legumes grown until the 800th century (they were supplanted in the XNUMXth century with the arrival of beans from the Americas) thanks to their excellent nutritional qualities, good yields and very limited cultivation requirements. And from the XNUMXs onwards they had a very wide diffusion in agriculture as they improve the fertility of the soil and adapt to the various types of soil, not fearing low temperatures or drought or prolonged rainfall.
Low glycemic index, excellent source of vitamins, antioxidants
The broad bean (Vicia faba, L. 1753) is an annual plant belonging to the Leguminosae or Fabaceae family. The edible part are bright green seeds enclosed in the pod and covered by integument which can be eaten fresh cooked or raw from April to June or dried and used all year round after soaking and cooking. Raw broad beans have fairly low nutritional values: in 100g of shelled legumes there are: 4.5g of carbohydrates, of which 2.2g of simple sugars, 5.2g of proteins and 0.4g of lipids and 5g of fiber for a total of 41 kcal ; while in 100g of dried broad beans there are 341 kcal, 54.8g of carbohydrates of which 4.9g of sugars, 27.2g of proteins, 4g of lipids and 7g of fibers (Composition Tables of Crea Foods). The glycemic index of raw beans is low while that of dried broad beans is high. Fresh broad beans are an excellent source of vitamins (vitC, vitB1, vitB2, vitB3, vitA, vitK) and trace elements (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc) but clearly cooking and drying reduce a good part of them so the advice is to consume them raw, also because together with green beans they are more easily digestible legumes. Fresh broad beans are rich in antioxidants and plant sterols, active molecules that bring numerous health benefits. In particular, it has been seen that the polyphenolic compounds contained in V. faba could be a potential anti-cancer agent. According to Inran, broad beans are also some of the best high-folate foods available on the market, with 177 micrograms of folate in just one cup of cooked broad beans. (…) folate is essential for energy metabolism, for the support of the nervous system and for the health of red blood cells (as well as, of course, for expectant mothers). In fact, women of childbearing age should get 0,4mg of folic acid in their diet each day to help reduce the risk of birth defects, spinabifida and anencephaly in their future children.
They lower blood pressure, decrease the risk of heart attacks and help prevent osteoporosis
Magnesium is one of the very important minerals for heart and nervous system health and yet we are often deficient in it. Magnesium lowers blood pressure and decreases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. As demonstrated by studies on magnesium supplementation, it helps in improving health conditions, but it is worthwhile to increase the consumption of foods rich in this mineral which is often found in nature in association with other minerals and vitamins and therefore acts on the organism with better biochemical synergy. Broad beans contain manganese, an important mineral: for prevention of osteoporosis, as it increases bone mass and reduces calcium deficiency and because it is contained in many enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, a important antioxidant present in almost all cells exposed to oxygen in which it neutralizes superoxide, a dangerous radical that is formed starting from oxygen. Broad beans contain phytosterols, i.e. plant sterols, molecules similar to cholesterol. Scientific studies have shown that by taking two grams of plant sterols a day for three weeks it is possible to reduce the "bad" LDL cholesterol by 8-10%. Consuming foods containing plant sterols therefore has an effect protective against cardiovascular disease on an atherosclerotic basis such as stroke and heart attack. There cholesterol reduction it is mainly due to the decrease of its absorption, thanks also to the presence of fibers, and to the alteration of the enzymes involved in its metabolism and in its excretion. Broad beans contain isoflavones, albeit in smaller quantities than soy. These are substances of vegetable origin structurally and functionally similar to estrogen, female hormones (men produce limited quantities). Isoflavones, while having a high affinity towards estrogen receptors, have a very weak estrogenic activity, this means that in substance they occupy the places for estrogens which in this way can no longer bind to them. The advantage is that of breast cancer prevention because women with high estrogen levels are more exposed to the risk of getting sick. But while in childbearing age the beneficial effect of isoflavones derives above all from their anti-oestrogenic properties, after the menopause their estrogen-like properties are particularly useful, because the isoflavones are used as a remedy for hot flashes.
Also useful for people with Parkinson's
Finally, broad beans have been shown to have the characteristics to bring health benefits that you would not expect. Fresh broad beans contain L-dopa, a precursor to dopamine, a neurotransmitter. L-Dopa is synthesized from the amino acid tyrosine and is an important component of used medicines for the treatment of Parkinson's. All parts of the plant are rich in L-DOPA, particularly pods and young beans (approximately 50-100 mg), and consumption of these parts increased the L-DOPA level in the blood of the patients studied. In humans, after consuming broad beans, the level of L-dopa remains high in the blood for hours, in one study, the consumption of 250 grams of cooked beans produced such a quantity of L-dopa in the blood after 12 hours as to have a visible clinical improvement in Parkinson's patients. Additionally, dopamine is in balance with serotonin and together they affect mood. Serotonin increases insulin secretion while dopamine reduces it, this effect of dopamine can indirectly counteract obesity.
The dangers for those suffering from favism, all the fault of the red blood cell enzyme G6PD
In addition to all the benefits just mentioned that derive from the consumption of broad beans, there are others: this legume counteracts cellulite as it is draining and promotes a sense of satiety, but it is also necessary to report the negative effects. Broad beans are absolutely contraindicated in people with favism. It is a genetic disease with G6PD deficiency, a very important enzyme for the metabolism of red blood cells. This condition can lead to hemolytic anemia. The crisis is triggered when the predisposed subject takes fresh or dry beans, or simply inhales the vapours. Contact with substances such as mothballs and some antipyretic and analgesic drugs that inhibit the activity of the enzyme aggravate the clinical picture. Haemolytic crises may occur 12-48 hours after accidentally coming into contact with one of the substances mentioned. Symptoms are: jaundice, severe anemia, pallor, weakness, renal dysfunction (up to acute renal failure), abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. There are an estimated 400 million people worldwide with at least one gene due to G6PD deficiency. In Italy the average incidence of G6PD deficiency is 0,4%, while in Sardinia it rises significantly reaching the average value of 14,3% with a peak of 25,8% in the province of Cagliari. Another sore point of broad beans, like other legumes, is the presence of some antinutrients such as tannins, lectins, phytates and protease inhibitors. These substances irritate the intestines and are therefore not suitable for people with intestinal problems, irritable bowel and autoimmune diseases. To truly appreciate broad beans, the best thing is to eat them raw because in this way vitamins, mineral salts and other bioactive substances are preserved and because the flavor and color are very pleasant. It is no coincidence that on May 1st it is customary to take a trip out of town (“maggetto romano”) and eat raw broad beans with good pecorino cheese, a convivial ritual that has been maintained over time especially in Lazio. But there are many recipes from the Italian regions where broad beans are the main theme: Umbrian Scafata – prepared with broad beans, tomatoes, spring onions, chard leaves and flavored with bacon, fresh mint and wild fennel, broad beans and anchovies in the Marche style, Fave alla Sassarese – boiled in water and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt and chopped garlic, parsley and chilli pepper or Roman Vignarola, in which we find broad beans, artichokes, fresh peas and lettuce, cooked over low heat with a little water, onion, extra virgin olive oil, diced bacon and mint leaves. It is so called because in the past the vegetables used to cook it were planted between the rows of vines, to make the soil more fertile.
Enjoy your meal!
