The benefits of broad beans or fava beans for diabetics

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 part of the diet in the eastern Mediterranean since approximately 6,000 BC. C.

They grow in broad, leathery pods, like greatly enlarged 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 horse bean or field bean refers to the smaller, harder-seeded cultivars that are primarily (but not exclusively used). ) for animal feed.

The bean is a hardy plant. It can withstand harsh and cold climates.

Prepare beans

Preparing fresh lima beans can be a bit of a hassle.

When buying beans, choose green pods that are firm and not bulky. The bulging pods can be old and often taste bitter.

To remove the beans from the pods, simply run a fingernail along the seam of the pod to open it. Take 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 come out right away. But this is a lot of work … bean by bean!

You can avoid this by putting the beans in boiling salted water and boiling them for about a minute and a half. After that, put the beans in ice water to stop cooking. Now you can squeeze the beans from the skin. Still … preparing beans is hard work. It takes about 3 pounds or 1.5 kg of broad bean pods to make a full cup of beans.

Culinary uses

Fava 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.

Fava beans, on the other hand, are allowed to fully ripen. They are harvested in late fall and can be consumed by humans as legumes, although they are most often used as animal fodder.

Fava beans were an important food in ancient Mediterranean civilizations. They were especially popular with the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. They eventually spread along the Nile Valley to Ethiopia, northern India, and China.

Fava beans can be eaten in various ways. For example, you can steam them until tender and then toss them in fresh lemon juice. They look lovely in a mixed green salad. The mashed beans can be used as a spread on bread or crackers. They are in their prime as ful medammes, which is very popular as a breakfast dish in Arabia. Makes a great lunch.

Making full medammes is really easy. Fry the finely chopped garlic and onion in a frying pan with a very 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 hot, pour it into a bowl and serve with oatcakes (thin, sugar-free cookies made from oatmeal).

In some parts of Latin America, beans are used as a filling in corn-based snacks. They are also used whole in vegetable soups.

The beans can also be dry fried, which makes them split open. You can then season them to produce a tasty and crunchy snack that is popular in northern Iran, Malaysia, Thailand, China, and Latin America.

Immature pods can also be cooked and eaten. In addition, the young leaves of the plant can be eaten, either raw or cooked in the same way as spinach.

How nutritious are lima beans or lima beans?

The simple answer is … very nutritious.

This is what you get in 100 grams of raw ripe seeds:

Macronutrients

Energy … 1,425 kJ (341 kcal)

Carbohydrates … 58.29 g

Dietary fiber … 25 g

Fat … 1.53 g

Protein … 26.12 g

Vitamins

Thiamine (B1) … 0.555 mg … 48%

Riboflavin (B2) … 0.333 mg … 28%

Niacin (B3) … 2,832 mg … 19%

Vitamin B6 … 0 366 mg … 28%

Folate (B9) … 423 μg … 106%

Vitamin C … 1.4 mg … 2%

Vitamin K … 9 μg … 9%

Minerals

Calcium … 103 mg … 10%

Iron … 6.7 mg … 52%

Magnesium … 192 mg … 54%

Manganese … 1,626 mg … 77%

Phosphorus … 421 mg … 60%

Potassium … 1,062 mg … 23%

Sodium … 13 mg … 1%

Zinc … 3.14 mg … 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 beans. Another 26% is made up of protein.

In addition, fava beans are especially rich in micronutrients such as B vitamins, particularly folate and thiamine. Fava beans are also packed with phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, and iron.

Fava 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 red blood cells healthy. It is also a must for pregnant women.

Benefits of eating lima beans

Fava 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:

• hypertension

• risk of heart disease and stroke

• weak immune system

• reduced energy

• development of osteoporosis

• poor motor function

• risk of birth defects

Hypertension… 85% of diabetics suffer from high blood pressure. Studies show that magnesium can lower blood pressure. Fava 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 obtained when magnesium supplements are combined with magnesium-rich vegetables and fruits.

Heart disease and stroke… hypertension and diabetes increase the risk of heart disease and stroke at least three times compared to the risk in the general population. Therefore, improvements in your blood pressure will reduce your risk of having a 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 very susceptible to disease and infection. White blood cells destroy disease-causing pathogens and help eliminate free radicals found in your body.

Copper helps maintain healthy blood cells and lima beans contain significant amounts of copper, which helps strengthen your immune system.

Reduced energy… many diabetics experience a feeling of sluggishness. This ongoing tiredness may be due to a lack of iron that is required to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to cells throughout the body. Fava beans contain significant amounts of iron, and consuming them can help recharge your spirits.

Development of osteoporosis… can be prevented to some extent with manganese. Manganese helps increase bone mass and helps reduce calcium deficiency. Fava 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 folic acid which, in addition to being excellent for providing energy, has long been associated with helping reduce birth defects.

A meta-analysis of research on folic acid supplementation, published in Scientific reports by the National Institutes of Health from the US National Library of Medicine in 2015, found a positive association between folate supplementation and a lower 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 (of childbearing age) consume 0.4 mg (400 μg) of folic acid all the days to help reduce the risk of birth defects, thorn. bifida and anencephaly.

Poor motor function… due to Parkinson’s disease it can be improved by eating fava 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 skins, lima beans dissolved in alcohol and water, and dried sprouted lima beans.

The researchers found that increased levels of the amino acids L-dopa and C-dopa in the bloodstream of lima beans led to a significant improvement in the motor performance of Parkinson’s patients, with no side effects.

Side effects of eating lima beans or lima beans

Fava beans are not the tastiest food on the planet. But spice them up a bit and they’re a pleasure to eat. Most people tolerate them very well.

Some people are allergic to lima beans. However, cooking beans well can help reduce the risk of an allergic reaction.

Eating lima beans can be very harmful if you are deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. G6PDD is an innate problem in your metabolism that predisposes you to a breakdown of red blood cells. It’s very weird.

This breakdown can be caused by a variety of infections, medications, stress, and some foods like 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 medications interact unfavorably with other medications and certain foods, so if you are using these medications, you should avoid eating lima beans.

Food to go

Despite all of this, it is a good idea to add fava beans to your diet unless you have a medical condition that may be adversely affected by fava beans or are taking medications that can cause an adverse reaction to fava 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 increase your energy levels and immune system, to help your motor function, etc., by consume lima beans. on a regular basis.

I enjoy a plate of broad beans mixed with garlic and onion for lunch at least once a week in the form of full medammes.