Vicia faba
Encyclopedia
This article refers to the Broad Bean plant. For Broadbean the company, see Broadbean, Inc.
Vicia faba, the Broad Bean, Fava Bean, Field Bean, Bell Bean or Tic Bean, is a species of bean (Fabaceae
) native to north Africa
and southwest Asia
, and extensively cultivated elsewhere. A variety is provisionally recognized:
Although usually classified in the same genus Vicia
as the vetches
, some botanists treat it in a separate monotypic genus Faba.
are 10–25 cm long, pinnate with 2-7 leaflets, and of a distinct glaucous grey-green color; unlike most other vetches, the leaves do not have tendrils for climbing over other vegetation. The flower
s are 1-2.5 cm long, with five petals, the standard petal white, the wing petals white with a black spot (true black, not deep purple or blue as is the case in many "black" colorings), and the keel petals white. Crimson flowered broad beans also exist, which were recently saved from extinction. The fruit
is a broad leathery pod, green maturing to blackish-brown, with a densely downy surface; in the wild species, the pods are 5–10 cm long and 1 cm diameter, but many modern cultivar
s developed for food use have pods 15–25 cm long and 2–3 cm thick. Each pod contains 3-8 seed
s; round to oval and 5–10 mm diameter in the wild plant, usually flattened and up to 20–25 mm long, 15 mm broad and 5–10 mm thick in food cultivars. Vicia faba has a diploid (2n) chromosome number of 12 (6 homologous pairs). Five pairs are acrocentric chromosomes and 1 pair is metacentric.
agriculture
, being among the most ancient plants in cultivation and also among the easiest to grow. It is believed that along with lentil
s, peas
, and chickpea
s, they became part of the eastern Mediterranean diet in around 6000 BC or earlier. They are still often grown as a cover crop
to prevent erosion
, because they can over-winter and because as a legume, they fix nitrogen
in the soil. These commonly cultivated plants can be attacked by fungal diseases, such as rust
(Uromyces viciae-fabae) and chocolate spot (Botrytis fabae
). It is also attacked by the black bean aphid
(Aphis fabae).
The broad bean has high hardiness
cvs. This means it can withstand rough climate
s, and in this case, cold ones. Unlike most legumes, the broad bean can be grown in soil
s with high salinity
. However, it does prefer to grow in rich loams
.
In much of the Anglophone
world, the name broad bean is used for the large-seeded cultivars grown for human food, while horse bean and field bean refer to cultivars with smaller, harder seeds (more like the wild species) used for animal feed, though their stronger flavour is preferred in some human food recipes, such as falafel
. The term fava bean (from the Italian
fava, meaning "broad bean") is usually used in English speaking countries such as the US, however the term broad bean is the most common name in the UK.
The beans can be fried, causing the skin to split open, and then salted and/or spiced to produce a savory crunchy snack. These are popular in China, Colombia, Peru (habas saladas), Mexico (habas con chile) and Thailand (where their name means "open-mouth nut").
Broad bean purée with wild chicory is a typical Puglian
dish in Italy.
In the Sichuan cuisine of China
, broad beans are combined with soybean
s and chili peppers to produce a spicy fermented bean paste called doubanjiang
.
In most Arab countries, the fava bean is used for a breakfast dish called ful medames
.
Fava beans are common in Latin American cuisines as well. In central Mexico, mashed fava beans are a common filling for many corn flour-based antojito
snacks such as tlacoyos. In Colombia they are most often used whole in vegetable soups. Dried and salted fava beans are a popular snack in many Latin countries.
In Portugal, a fava bean (usually referred to as fava in Portuguese) is included in the bolo-rei (king cake
), a Christmas cake. Traditionally, the person who gets fava has to buy the cake the following year.
In the Netherlands, they are traditionally eaten with fresh savory
and some melted butter. When rubbed the velvet insides of the pods are a folk remedy against warts.
Broad beans are widely cultivated in the Kech
and Panjgur
districts of Balochistan Province in Pakistan, and in the eastern province of Iran. In the Balochi language
, they are called bakalaink, and baghalee in Persian.
has the highest production of broad beans with high quality in terms of the taste, cooking periods and color. However, broad beans have a very short season (roughly two weeks.) The season is usually in the middle of spring. When people have access to fresh beans in season, they cook them in brine and then add vinegar and Heracleum persicum
depending on taste. They also make an extra amount to dry to be used year round. The dried beans can be cooked with rice, which forms one of the most famous dishes in Iran called baghalee polo (Persian
: باقالی پلو) which means rice with broad bean. In Iran broad beans are cooked, served with Golpar and salt and sold on streets in the winter. This food is also available preserved in metal cans.
in the Egyptian diet
, eaten by rich and poor alike. Egyptians
eat fava beans in various ways: they may be shelled and then dried, bought dried and then cooked by adding water in very low heat for several hours, etc. They are the primary ingredient in Ta`meyyah (Arabic: طعميه) (Egyptian Arabic
for falafel
). However, the most popular way of preparing fava beans in Egypt
is by taking the mashed, cooked beans and adding oil, garlic, lemon, salt and cumin
to it. It is then eaten with bread. The dish, known as ful medames
, is traditionally eaten with onions (generally at breakfast
) and is considered the Egyptian national dish
.
Dried broad beans are eaten boiled, sometimes combined with garlic sauce (skordalia).
In Crete fresh broad beans are shelled and eaten as companion to tsikoudia
, the local alcoholic drink.
Favism is quite common in Greece because of malaria
endemicity in previous centuries, and people afflicted by it do not eat broadbeans.
The Greek word fáva (φάβα) does not refer to broadbeans, but to the yellow split pea
and also to the legume Lathyrus sativus
, either of which are boiled with salt to the local variety of pease pudding
, also called fáva. This creamy fáva is then served hot or cold, sprinkled with olive oil and garnished with a variety of condiments and seasonings such as diced onion, capers, parsley, pepper, lemon juice, etc.
. Broad beans are tightly coupled with every aspect of Ethiopian life. They are mainly used as an alternative to peas to prepare a flour called shiro, which is used to make shiro wot (a stew almost ubiquitous in Ethiopian dishes). During the fasting period in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church tradition called filliseta (which is in August), two uncooked spicy vegetable dishes are made using broad beans. The first is elibet, a thin white paste of broad bean flour mixed with pieces of onion, green pepper, garlic, and other spices based on personal taste. The second is silijou, a fermented, sour, spicy, thin, yellow paste of broad bean flour. Both are served with other stews and injera (a pancake-like bread) during lunch and dinner.
Baqueella nifro (boiled broad beans) are eaten like a snack during some holidays and during a time of mourning. Interestingly, this tradition goes well in to religious holidays too. On the Thursday before Good Friday
, in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church tradition tselote hamus (the Prayer of Thursday), people eat a different kind of nifro called gulban. Gulban is made of peeled, half beans collected and well cooked with other grains like wheat, peas and chick peas. This is done to mourn the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Boq'ullit (boiled salted broad beans embryo) is one of the most favorite snacks in the evening, the common story-telling time in north and central Ethiopia. It is particularly a favorite for the story-teller (usually a society elder), as it is delicious, and easy to chew and swallow.
Last but not least, ripe broad beans from a broad beans crop are eaten by passers-by. Besides that, they are one of the gift items from a countryside relative in a period close to the Ethiopian Epiphany.
, and thus should be avoided by those taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor
s.
Raw broad beans contain the alkaloids vicine
, isouramil and convicine, which can induce hemolytic anemia
in patients with the hereditary condition glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
(G6PD). This potentially fatal condition is called "favism" after the fava bean.
Broad beans are rich in L-dopa
, a substance used medically in the treatment of Parkinson's disease
. L-dopa is also a natriuretic agent, which might help in controlling hypertension
.
Areas of origin of the bean correspond to malaria
l areas. There are epidemiological and in vitro studies which suggest that the hemolysis
resulting from favism acts as protection from malaria, because certain species of malarial protozoa
such as Plasmodium falcipacrum are very sensitive to oxidative damage due to deficiency of the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme, which would otherwise protect from oxidative damage via production of glutathione reductase
.
The seed testas contain condensed tannins of the proanthocyanidin
s type that could have an inhibitory activity on enzymes.
Vicia faba, the Broad Bean, Fava Bean, Field Bean, Bell Bean or Tic Bean, is a species of bean (Fabaceae
Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and economically important family of flowering plants. The group is the third largest land plant family, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with 730 genera and over 19,400 species...
) native to north Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and southwest Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and extensively cultivated elsewhere. A variety is provisionally recognized:
- Vicia faba var. equina Pers. – Horse Bean
Although usually classified in the same genus Vicia
Vicia
Vicia is a genus of about 140 species of flowering plants commonly known as vetches. It is in the legume family . Member species are native to Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Some other genera of their subfamily Faboideae also have names containing "vetch", for example the...
as the vetches
Vicia
Vicia is a genus of about 140 species of flowering plants commonly known as vetches. It is in the legume family . Member species are native to Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Africa. Some other genera of their subfamily Faboideae also have names containing "vetch", for example the...
, some botanists treat it in a separate monotypic genus Faba.
Composition
It is a rigid, erect plant 0.5-1.8 m tall, with stout stems with a square cross-section. The leavesLeaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are 10–25 cm long, pinnate with 2-7 leaflets, and of a distinct glaucous grey-green color; unlike most other vetches, the leaves do not have tendrils for climbing over other vegetation. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are 1-2.5 cm long, with five petals, the standard petal white, the wing petals white with a black spot (true black, not deep purple or blue as is the case in many "black" colorings), and the keel petals white. Crimson flowered broad beans also exist, which were recently saved from extinction. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is a broad leathery pod, green maturing to blackish-brown, with a densely downy surface; in the wild species, the pods are 5–10 cm long and 1 cm diameter, but many modern cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s developed for food use have pods 15–25 cm long and 2–3 cm thick. Each pod contains 3-8 seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s; round to oval and 5–10 mm diameter in the wild plant, usually flattened and up to 20–25 mm long, 15 mm broad and 5–10 mm thick in food cultivars. Vicia faba has a diploid (2n) chromosome number of 12 (6 homologous pairs). Five pairs are acrocentric chromosomes and 1 pair is metacentric.
Cultivation
Broad beans have a long tradition of cultivation in Old WorldOld World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, being among the most ancient plants in cultivation and also among the easiest to grow. It is believed that along with lentil
Lentil
The lentil is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds...
s, peas
PEAS
P.E.A.S. is an acronym in artificial intelligence that stands for Performance, Environment, Actuators, Sensors.-Performance:Performance is a function that measures the quality of the actions the agent did....
, and chickpea
Chickpea
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
s, they became part of the eastern Mediterranean diet in around 6000 BC or earlier. They are still often grown as a cover crop
Cover crop
Cover crops are crops planted primarily to manage soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in agroecosystems , ecological systems managed and largely shaped by humans across a range of intensities to produce food, feed, or fiber.Cover crops are of...
to prevent erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
, because they can over-winter and because as a legume, they fix nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
in the soil. These commonly cultivated plants can be attacked by fungal diseases, such as rust
Rust (fungus)
Rusts are plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi of the order Pucciniales. About 7800 species are known. Rusts can affect a variety of plants; leaves, stems, fruits and seeds. Rust is most commonly seen as coloured powder, composed off tiny aeciospores which land on vegetation producing...
(Uromyces viciae-fabae) and chocolate spot (Botrytis fabae
Botrytis fabae
Botrytis fabae is a plant pathogen, a fungus that causes chocolate spot disease of broad or fava bean plants, Vicia faba.-Symptoms:...
). It is also attacked by the black bean aphid
Aphis fabae
Aphis fabae is a true bug in the order Hemiptera. Common names include blackfly, black bean aphid, bean aphid and beet leaf aphid. It is a widely distributed pest of agricultural crops.-Distribution:...
(Aphis fabae).
The broad bean has high hardiness
Hardiness (plants)
Hardiness of plants describe their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered measurements of hardiness. Hardiness of plants is defined...
cvs. This means it can withstand rough climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
s, and in this case, cold ones. Unlike most legumes, the broad bean can be grown in soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
s with high salinity
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
. However, it does prefer to grow in rich loams
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
.
In much of the Anglophone
English-speaking world
The English-speaking world consists of those countries or regions that use the English language to one degree or another. For more information, please see:Lists:* List of countries by English-speaking population...
world, the name broad bean is used for the large-seeded cultivars grown for human food, while horse bean and field bean refer to cultivars with smaller, harder seeds (more like the wild species) used for animal feed, though their stronger flavour is preferred in some human food recipes, such as falafel
Falafel
Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces...
. The term fava bean (from the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
fava, meaning "broad bean") is usually used in English speaking countries such as the US, however the term broad bean is the most common name in the UK.
Culinary uses
Broad beans are eaten while still young and tender, enabling harvesting to begin as early as the middle of spring for plants started under glass or over-wintered in a protected location, but even the main crop sown in early spring will be ready from mid to late summer. Horse beans, left to mature fully, are usually harvested in the late autumn. The young leaves of the plant can also be eaten either raw or cooked like spinach.The beans can be fried, causing the skin to split open, and then salted and/or spiced to produce a savory crunchy snack. These are popular in China, Colombia, Peru (habas saladas), Mexico (habas con chile) and Thailand (where their name means "open-mouth nut").
Broad bean purée with wild chicory is a typical Puglian
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
dish in Italy.
In the Sichuan cuisine of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, broad beans are combined with soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s and chili peppers to produce a spicy fermented bean paste called doubanjiang
Doubanjiang
Doubanjiang is a spicy, salty paste made from fermented broad beans, soybeans, salt, rice, and various spices. Doubanjiang exists in plain and spicy versions, with the latter containing red chili peppers and called la doubanjiang .It is used particularly in Sichuan cuisine, and in fact, the people...
.
In most Arab countries, the fava bean is used for a breakfast dish called ful medames
Ful Medames
Fūl medammis , or simply fūl, is an Egyptian dish of cooked and mashed fava beans served with olive oil, chopped parsley, onion, garlic, and lemon juice. A staple meal in Egypt, it is popular in the cuisines of the Levant, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and Saudi Arabia.-History:The roots of fūl...
.
Fava beans are common in Latin American cuisines as well. In central Mexico, mashed fava beans are a common filling for many corn flour-based antojito
Antojito
An antojito is a Mexican street snack designed to satisfy a craving . Many antojitos have become regional icons of Mexican cuisine and can be found in almost every region of Mexico, although there are a few local variants that are exclusive to a specific place.It is widely accepted that an antojito...
snacks such as tlacoyos. In Colombia they are most often used whole in vegetable soups. Dried and salted fava beans are a popular snack in many Latin countries.
In Portugal, a fava bean (usually referred to as fava in Portuguese) is included in the bolo-rei (king cake
King cake
A king cake is a type of cake associated with the festival of Epiphany in the Christmas season in a number of countries, and in other places with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras / Carnival...
), a Christmas cake. Traditionally, the person who gets fava has to buy the cake the following year.
In the Netherlands, they are traditionally eaten with fresh savory
Winter savory
Winter savory is a perennial herb in the family Lamiaceae, native to warm temperate regions of southern Europe.It is a semi-evergreen, semi-woody subshrub growing to over tall. The leaves are opposite, oval-lanceolate, 1–2 cm long and 5 mm broad...
and some melted butter. When rubbed the velvet insides of the pods are a folk remedy against warts.
Broad beans are widely cultivated in the Kech
Kech District
Kech or Turbat district is a district in Balochistan province of Pakistan.-Administration:The district of Kech is administratively subdivided into the following tehsils:* Buleda* Dasht* Turbat* Tump-Population:...
and Panjgur
Panjgur District
Panjgur is a district in the west of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Panjgur was one of the three tehsils of Makran District until 1 July 1977 when that district became Makran Division and Panjgur became a district...
districts of Balochistan Province in Pakistan, and in the eastern province of Iran. In the Balochi language
Balochi language
Balochi is a Northwestern Iranian language. It is the principal language of the Baloch of Balochistan, Pakistan, eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. It is also spoken as a second language by some Brahui. It is designated as one of nine official languages of Pakistan.-Vowels:The Balochi vowel...
, they are called bakalaink, and baghalee in Persian.
Iran
Broad beans are primarily cultivated in the central part of Iran. The city of KashanKashan
Kashan is a city in and the capital of Kashan County, in the province of Isfahan, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 248,789, in 67,464 families....
has the highest production of broad beans with high quality in terms of the taste, cooking periods and color. However, broad beans have a very short season (roughly two weeks.) The season is usually in the middle of spring. When people have access to fresh beans in season, they cook them in brine and then add vinegar and Heracleum persicum
Heracleum persicum
Heracleum persicum, commonly known as Golpar or Persian Hogweed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to Iran...
depending on taste. They also make an extra amount to dry to be used year round. The dried beans can be cooked with rice, which forms one of the most famous dishes in Iran called baghalee polo (Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
: باقالی پلو) which means rice with broad bean. In Iran broad beans are cooked, served with Golpar and salt and sold on streets in the winter. This food is also available preserved in metal cans.
Egypt
Fava beans (Arabic: فول) are a common staple foodStaple food
A staple food is one that is eaten regularly and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a diet, and that supplies a high proportion of energy and nutrient needs. Most people live on a diet based on one or more staples...
in the Egyptian diet
Egyptian cuisine
Egyptian cuisine consists of the local culinary traditions of Egypt. Egyptian cuisine makes heavy use of legumes and vegetables, as Egypt's rich Nile Valley and Delta produce large quantities of high-quality crops.- History and characteristics :...
, eaten by rich and poor alike. Egyptians
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
eat fava beans in various ways: they may be shelled and then dried, bought dried and then cooked by adding water in very low heat for several hours, etc. They are the primary ingredient in Ta`meyyah (Arabic: طعميه) (Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic is the language spoken by contemporary Egyptians.It is more commonly known locally as the Egyptian colloquial language or Egyptian dialect ....
for falafel
Falafel
Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces...
). However, the most popular way of preparing fava beans in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
is by taking the mashed, cooked beans and adding oil, garlic, lemon, salt and cumin
Cumin
Cumin is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, in both whole and ground form.-Etymology:...
to it. It is then eaten with bread. The dish, known as ful medames
Ful Medames
Fūl medammis , or simply fūl, is an Egyptian dish of cooked and mashed fava beans served with olive oil, chopped parsley, onion, garlic, and lemon juice. A staple meal in Egypt, it is popular in the cuisines of the Levant, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and Saudi Arabia.-History:The roots of fūl...
, is traditionally eaten with onions (generally at breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
) and is considered the Egyptian national dish
National dish
A national dish is a dish, food or a drink that is considered to represent a particular country, nation or region.A dish can become a national dish for a variety of reasons. It can be the national dish because it is a staple daily food for the majority of the population. It can also be the national...
.
Greece
Broad beans are eaten in a stew combined with artichokes, while they are still fresh in their pod.Dried broad beans are eaten boiled, sometimes combined with garlic sauce (skordalia).
In Crete fresh broad beans are shelled and eaten as companion to tsikoudia
Tsikoudia
Tsikoudia is an alcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Cretan origin that contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume. Tsikoudia is made by distilling of pomace, i.e., the pieces of grapes that were pressed for the winemaking process...
, the local alcoholic drink.
Favism is quite common in Greece because of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
endemicity in previous centuries, and people afflicted by it do not eat broadbeans.
The Greek word fáva (φάβα) does not refer to broadbeans, but to the yellow split pea
Split pea
Split peas are the dried, peeled and split seeds of Pisum sativum. In north India, they are generally known as matar ki daal, sometimes used as a cheaper variation for the very popular chhole on stalls offering it. . They come in yellow and green varieties. The peas are round when harvested and dried...
and also to the legume Lathyrus sativus
Lathyrus sativus
Lathyrus sativus, is a legume commonly grown for human consumption and livestock feed in Asia and East Africa. It is a particularly important crop in areas that are prone to drought and famine, and is thought of as an 'insurance crop' as it produces reliable yields when all other crops...
, either of which are boiled with salt to the local variety of pease pudding
Pease pudding
Pease pudding, sometimes known as pease pottage or pease porridge, is a boiled vegetable product, which mainly consists of split yellow or Carlin peas, water, salt, and spices, often cooked with a bacon or ham joint...
, also called fáva. This creamy fáva is then served hot or cold, sprinkled with olive oil and garnished with a variety of condiments and seasonings such as diced onion, capers, parsley, pepper, lemon juice, etc.
Ethiopia
Broad beans (Amharic: baqueella) are one of the most popular legumes in EthiopiaEthiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Broad beans are tightly coupled with every aspect of Ethiopian life. They are mainly used as an alternative to peas to prepare a flour called shiro, which is used to make shiro wot (a stew almost ubiquitous in Ethiopian dishes). During the fasting period in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church tradition called filliseta (which is in August), two uncooked spicy vegetable dishes are made using broad beans. The first is elibet, a thin white paste of broad bean flour mixed with pieces of onion, green pepper, garlic, and other spices based on personal taste. The second is silijou, a fermented, sour, spicy, thin, yellow paste of broad bean flour. Both are served with other stews and injera (a pancake-like bread) during lunch and dinner.
Baqueella nifro (boiled broad beans) are eaten like a snack during some holidays and during a time of mourning. Interestingly, this tradition goes well in to religious holidays too. On the Thursday before Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church tradition tselote hamus (the Prayer of Thursday), people eat a different kind of nifro called gulban. Gulban is made of peeled, half beans collected and well cooked with other grains like wheat, peas and chick peas. This is done to mourn the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Boq'ullit (boiled salted broad beans embryo) is one of the most favorite snacks in the evening, the common story-telling time in north and central Ethiopia. It is particularly a favorite for the story-teller (usually a society elder), as it is delicious, and easy to chew and swallow.
Last but not least, ripe broad beans from a broad beans crop are eaten by passers-by. Besides that, they are one of the gift items from a countryside relative in a period close to the Ethiopian Epiphany.
Nepal
In Nepal, fava beans are called Bakulla. It is eaten as a green vegetable when the pods are young. It generally stir fried with good amount of garlic. When dried, fava beans are eaten roasted, or mixed with other legumes like moong beans, chickpeas, peas and called Qwati. The mixture, soaked and germinated, is cooked as soup and consumed with rice or beaten rice on day of Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi. The dry and stir fried version of Qwati is called Biraula. It is believed that Qwati soup will reinvigorate the body affected by monsoon paddy season.Health issues
Broad beans are rich in tyramineTyramine
Tyramine is a naturally occurring monoamine compound and trace amine derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Tyramine acts as a catecholamine releasing agent...
, and thus should be avoided by those taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are a class of antidepressant drugs prescribed for the treatment of depression. They are particularly effective in treating atypical depression....
s.
Raw broad beans contain the alkaloids vicine
Vicine
Vicine is an alkaloid glycoside found in fava beans. Vicine is toxic, causing the disease favism, in individuals who have a hereditary loss of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase,-External links:*...
, isouramil and convicine, which can induce hemolytic anemia
Hemolytic anemia
Hemolytic anemia is a form of anemia due to hemolysis, the abnormal breakdown of red blood cells , either in the blood vessels or elsewhere in the human body . It has numerous possible causes, ranging from relatively harmless to life-threatening...
in patients with the hereditary condition glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is an X-linked recessive hereditary disease characterised by abnormally low levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase , a metabolic enzyme involved in the pentose phosphate pathway, especially important in red blood cell metabolism. G6PD deficiency is...
(G6PD). This potentially fatal condition is called "favism" after the fava bean.
Broad beans are rich in L-dopa
Levodopa
L-DOPA is a chemical that is made and used as part of the normal biology of some animals and plants. Some animals including humans make it via biosynthesis from the amino acid L-tyrosine. L-DOPA is the precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine , and epinephrine collectively...
, a substance used medically in the treatment of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. L-dopa is also a natriuretic agent, which might help in controlling hypertension
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
.
Areas of origin of the bean correspond to malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
l areas. There are epidemiological and in vitro studies which suggest that the hemolysis
Hemolysis
Hemolysis —from the Greek meaning "blood" and meaning a "loosing", "setting free" or "releasing"—is the rupturing of erythrocytes and the release of their contents into surrounding fluid...
resulting from favism acts as protection from malaria, because certain species of malarial protozoa
Protozoa
Protozoa are a diverse group of single-cells eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Throughout history, protozoa have been defined as single-cell protists with animal-like behavior, e.g., movement...
such as Plasmodium falcipacrum are very sensitive to oxidative damage due to deficiency of the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme, which would otherwise protect from oxidative damage via production of glutathione reductase
Glutathione reductase
Glutathione reductase, also known as GSR or GR, is an enzyme that reduces glutathione disulfide to the sulfhydryl form GSH, which is an important cellular antioxidant....
.
The seed testas contain condensed tannins of the proanthocyanidin
Proanthocyanidin
Proanthocyanidins, also known as OPCs or condensed tannins, are a subgroup of the flavonoid class of polyphenols...
s type that could have an inhibitory activity on enzymes.
Nutritional information
100g of raw fava beans contain:- Calories : 341
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 25 g
- Protein: 26 g
Other uses
- In ancient GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, beans were used in voting; a white bean being used to cast a yes vote, and a black bean for no. Even today the word koukia ( κουκιά) is used unofficially, referring to the votes. - In UbykhUbykh peopleThe Ubykh are a group who spoke the Northwest Caucasian Ubykh language, until other local languages displaced it and its last speaker died in 1992....
culture, throwing beans on the ground and interpreting the pattern in which they fall was a common method of divinationDivinationDivination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
(favomancyFavomancyFavomancy is a form of divination that used to be practised by seers in Russia, in particular, among the Ubykh. The practice involves throwing beans on the ground and interpreting the patterns in which the beans fall; it is therefore a type of cleromancy...
), and the word for "bean-thrower" in that language has become a generic term for seers and soothsayers in general. - In ancient GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, beans were used as a food for the dead, such as during the annual LemuriaFeast of the LemuresThe Lemuralia or Lemuria was a feast in the religion of ancient Rome during which the Romans performed rites to exorcise the malevolent and fearful ghosts of the dead from their homes. The unwholesome spectres of the restless dead, the lemures or larvae were propitiated with offerings of beans...
festival. - In some north European folk culture, such as the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Jack and the BeanstalkJack and the BeanstalkJack and the Beanstalk is a folktale said by English historian Francis Palgrave to be an oral legend that arrived in England with the Vikings. The tale is closely associated with the tale of Jack the Giant-killer. It is known under a number of versions...
story as well as in EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, magical beans grow tall enough to bring the hero to the clouds. - The colloquial expression 'not worth a bean' alludes to their widespread economy and association with the peasant diet.
- In ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, broad beans are traditionally sown on November 2, All Souls DayAll Souls DayAll Souls' Day commemorates the faithful departed. In Western Christianity, this day is observed principally in the Catholic Church, although some churches of Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches also celebrate it. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes several All Souls' Days during the...
. Small cakes made in the shape of broad beans (though not out of them) are known as fave dei morti or "beans of the dead". According to tradition, SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
once experienced a failure of all crops other than the beans; the beans kept the population from starvation, and thanks were given to Saint JosephSaint JosephSaint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
. Broad beans subsequently became traditional on Saint Joseph's Day altars in many Italian communities. Some people carry a broad bean for good luckLuckLuck or fortuity is good fortune which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result. There are at least two senses people usually mean when they use the term, the prescriptive sense and the descriptive sense...
; some believe that if one carries a broad bean, one will never be without the essentials of life. In RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, on the first of May, Roman families traditionally eat fresh fava beans with Pecorino RomanoPecorino RomanoPecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese, suitable primarily for grating, made out of sheep milk . Pecorino Romano was produced in Latium up to 1884 when, due to the prohibition issued by the city council of salting the cheese inside their shops in Rome, many producers moved to the island of...
cheese during a daily excursion in the Campagna. In Northern Italy, on the contrary, fava beans are traditionally fed to animals and some people, especially the elderly, might frown on human consumption. But in LiguriaLiguriaLiguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
, Northern Italy too, fava beans are loved like in Rome, and consumed fresh, alone or with fresh Pecorino SardoPecorino SardoPecorino sardo, also known as fiore sardo, is a firm cheese from the Italian island of Sardinia which is made from sheep milk: specifically from the milk of the local Sardinian breed. It was awarded Denominazione d'Origine status in 1991 and granted Protected designation of origin protection in...
or with local salamiSalamiSalami is cured sausage, fermented and air-dried meat, originating from one of a variety of animals. Historically, salami has been popular among Southern European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for periods of up to 10 years, supplementing a possibly meager or inconsistent...
from Sant'OlceseSant'OlceseSant'Olcese is a comune in the Province of Genoa in the Italian region of Liguria, located about 6 km north of Genoa. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 5,945 and an area of 21.9 km²....
. In some Central Italian regions, a once popular and recently rediscovered fancy food is the "bagiana", a soup of fresh or dried fava beans seasoned with onions and beet leaves stir fried, before being added to the soup, in olive oil and lard (or bacon or cured ham's fat). - In PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Catalunya a Christmas cake called Bolo ReiBolo ReiBolo rei is a traditional Portuguese cake that is usually eaten around Christmas, from December 25 until the Dia dos Reis on January 6...
in Portuguese, Torta de Reyes in spanish and in Catalan is called Tortell de Reis, ("King cake") is baked with a fava bean inside. Whoever eats the slice containing it, is supposed to buy next year's cake. - The Grimm Brothers collected a story in which a bean splits its sides laughing at the failure of others. Dreaming of a bean is sometimes said to be a sign of impending conflict, though others said that they caused bad dreams.
- PlinyPliny the ElderGaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
claimed that they acted as a laxativeLaxativeLaxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and/or bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under...
. - European folklore also claims that planting beans on Good FridayGood FridayGood Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
or during the night brings good luck.
Cultural references
- The ancient Roman family name Fabia and the modern political term Fabian derive from this particular bean.
- In the 1992 video game OutRunnersOutRunnersOutRunners is a racing video game developed by AM1 and released by Sega in 1992. It constitutes the third release in the arcade Out Run series and was ported to the Mega Drive by Data East in 1994.-Description:thumb|OutRunners two-player cabinet...
, an anthropomorphic broad bean character is featured on billboards and the start of the game called "Broad Bean," a parody of BibendumBibendumFor the restaurant of the same name, see Michelin HouseBibendum, commonly referred to as the Michelin Man, is the symbol of the Michelin tyre company. Introduced at the Lyon Exhibition of 1894 where the Michelin brothers had a stand, Bibendum is one of the world's oldest trademarks...
(the Michelin man), presumably the mascot of the fictional company sponsoring the race, Sam Spree. - In the track "Godzilla" By Army of the PharaohsArmy of the PharaohsArmy of the Pharaohs is a hip hop supergroup originating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed by Jedi Mind Tricks MC, Vinnie Paz in 1998.-Recording history:...
, Vinnie Paz references fava beans by stating: "Eat your liver over fava beans and some warm rice". - In the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal LecterHannibal LecterHannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
mentions that he once ate the liver of a census taker "with some fava beans and a nice ChiantiChiantiChianti is a red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. It was historically associated with a squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called a fiasco ; however, the fiasco is only used by a few makers of the wine now; most Chianti is now bottled in more standard shaped wine bottles...
." As a psychiatristPsychiatristA psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, he would know that he had named three of the "forbidden foods" for patients taking MAO inhibitors. - Frederick E Rose (London) Ltd v William H Pim Junior & Co LtdFrederick E Rose (London) Ltd v William H Pim Junior & Co LtdFrederick E Rose Ltd v William H Pim Junior & Co Ltd [1953] 2 QB 450 is an English contract law case concerning rectification of contractual documents and interpreting contracts in English law.-Facts:...
[1953] 2 QB 450, an English contract lawEnglish contract lawEnglish contract law is a body of law regulating contracts in England and Wales. With its roots in the lex mercatoria and the activism of the judiciary during the industrial revolution, it shares a heritage with countries across the Commonwealth , and the United States...
case, where the two litigants had both mistaken feveroles for ordinary horse beans. - The PythagoreanPythagoreanismPythagoreanism was the system of esoteric and metaphysical beliefs held by Pythagoras and his followers, the Pythagoreans, who were considerably influenced by mathematics. Pythagoreanism originated in the 5th century BCE and greatly influenced Platonism...
code prohibited the consumption or even touching of any sort of bean.
External links
- Crop Wild Relatives Gap Analysis Portal reliable information source on where and what to conserve ex-situ, regarding Vicia genepool
- Fava beans and G6PD Deficiency information
- Vicia faba at Purdue University
- Alternative Field Crops Manual at Purdue University