Fava Beans (Broad Beans): Nutrients, What Research Shows and Safety
Fava (broad) beans as a food: USDA nutrient values, favism and G6PD deficiency, what pooled trials found for pulses, levodopa claims checked, and cooking safety.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Fava beans, also called broad beans or faba beans, are the large flat seeds of Vicia faba, a legume in the pea family. They are eaten fresh from the pod, shelled, dried, or cooked into stews, dips and flours. People eat them for fiber, plant protein and folate. This page covers the whole bean as food. It puts the main safety point first, favism in people with G6PD deficiency, and keeps the food apart from extracts and hype.
Read this first
- Favism (G6PD deficiency). In people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, eating fava beans can set off hemolytic anemia, where red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body replaces them. MedlinePlus Genetics lists fava beans and breathing in fava pollen. [1] If you or a family member has G6PD deficiency, ask your clinician before eating fava beans.
- How common. MedlinePlus Genetics estimates 400 million people worldwide have G6PD deficiency, most often in parts of Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and many never have symptoms. [1] You may not know you have it.
- Warning signs: paleness, yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, tiredness, shortness of breath and a fast heart rate. [1] If these appear after eating fava beans, get medical care promptly.
- Severity varies. A 2023 review of case reports found that the amount, quality and ripeness of the beans and the age of the person all matter, and that severity was highest in pregnant women and exclusively breastfed infants. [2]
- Evidence in one line: pooled trials suggest pulses as a group modestly lower LDL cholesterol. [3] We found no fava-bean-only trial. Fava beans contain levodopa, but the sources we read do not show they treat Parkinson's disease. [4]
What is in it (USDA values)
The main columns are for fava (broad) beans, mature seeds, boiled without salt (USDA FoodData Central item 173753, SR Legacy) [5]. The serving is the USDA household portion of 1 cup cooked (170 g). The last column is the same bean dry and uncooked (item 175205) [6]; do not compare it with the cooked columns, because cooking adds water. Fresh green fava beans, canned fava beans and fava flour are different products with different numbers.
| Nutrient | Cooked, per 100 g | Cooked, per 1 cup (170 g) | % Daily Value per cup | Dry (raw), per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 110 kcal | 187 kcal | no DV | 341 kcal |
| Total fat | 0.4 g | 0.68 g | 1% | 1.53 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.066 g | 0.112 g | 1% | 0.254 g |
| Carbohydrate | 19.6 g | 33.4 g | 12% | 58.3 g |
| Fiber | 5.4 g | 9.18 g | 33% | 25 g |
| Total sugars | 1.82 g | 3.09 g | no DV | 5.7 g |
| Protein | 7.6 g | 12.9 g | 26% | 26.1 g |
| Folate (DFE) | 104 mcg | 177 mcg | 44% | 423 mcg |
| Manganese | 0.421 mg | 0.716 mg | 31% | 1.63 mg |
| Copper | 0.259 mg | 0.44 mg | 49% | 0.824 mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.097 mg | 0.165 mg | 14% | 0.555 mg |
| Magnesium | 43 mg | 73.1 mg | 17% | 192 mg |
| Phosphorus | 125 mg | 212 mg | 17% | 421 mg |
| Iron | 1.5 mg | 2.55 mg | 14% | 6.7 mg |
| Potassium | 268 mg | 456 mg | 10% | 1062 mg |
| Zinc | 1.01 mg | 1.72 mg | 16% | 3.14 mg |
| Calcium | 36 mg | 61.2 mg | 5% | 103 mg |
| Selenium | 2.6 mcg | 4.42 mcg | 8% | 8.2 mcg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.072 mg | 0.122 mg | 7% | 0.366 mg |
| Vitamin K | 2.9 mcg | 4.93 mcg | 4% | 9 mcg |
| Sodium | 5 mg | 8.5 mg | 0% | 13 mg |
% Daily Value uses the FDA 2016 Daily Values; the cup column is the 100 g value multiplied by 1.7. USDA lists no Daily Value for energy or sugars. Values vary with variety, growing place and cooking time. A dash means USDA has no value.
Plant compounds: vicine and convicine are the compounds responsible for favism; a 2024 lab study found none in the pods it tested. [7] The same study measured levodopa (L-dopa, a medicine for Parkinson's disease) in broad bean seeds at about 0.76 mg per gram of dry weight, much lower than in the pod valves. [7] In a 2026 laboratory study, soaking with lactic acid bacteria and then boiling lowered vicine by about 46% and convicine by about 47% in faba beans. It did not test whether this makes beans safe for people with G6PD deficiency. [8] The same study found resistant starch fell from 12.8% of dry matter in raw beans to 3.7 to 6% after processing. [8]
What research says
| Health goal | What the sources found | Strength of evidence | What was studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Favism in G6PD deficiency | MedlinePlus Genetics names fava beans and fava pollen as a trigger of hemolytic anemia in G6PD deficiency. [1] A review of case reports and series describes jaundice, dark urine, anemia, and in some cases the need for hospital care or transfusion, usually without lasting harm. [2] A case report describes hemolysis and methemoglobinemia after raw fava beans. [9] | Established (documented risk) | Case reports and series, genetic condition information |
| LDL cholesterol (pulses as a group) | A pooled analysis of 26 randomized trials (1,037 people) found diets emphasizing pulses, at a median of 130 g a day, lowered LDL by 0.17 mmol/L versus similar diets without pulses. [3] We did not read a fava-only result. | Promising but limited for pulses as a group; Insufficient evidence for fava alone | Mixed pulses, trials of at least 3 weeks |
| Blood sugar | Pooled trials found lower fasting glucose and insulin with pulses alone, with large differences between trials. [10] A 2026 review found lower after-meal glucose than with wheat products or white rice in 28 of 40 studies. [11] | Promising but limited (pulses as a group) | Mixed pulses |
| Body weight and blood pressure | Pooled trials gave a small extra weight loss with pulse diets, about 0.34 kg over a median of 6 weeks. [12] Another pooled analysis found no significant overall effect of legumes on blood pressure. [13] | Promising but limited (weight); Mixed (blood pressure) | Mixed pulses and legumes |
| Parkinson's disease | Broad beans contain levodopa, and some patient studies saw better movement after bean extracts. But studies in patients are scarce, used single doses or short courses, and no long-term data exist; the reviewers had reservations about beans as a natural therapy. [4] | Insufficient evidence | Animal models and small patient studies of extracts |
| Heart disease and long-term outcomes | Harvard's Nutrition Source reports lower coronary artery disease risk with about 4 servings of legumes a week in a mostly observational meta-analysis. [14] | Mixed (observational association, not proof) | Cohort studies, mixed legumes |
Eaten as food vs taken as an extract. The trial results here are for cooked pulses eaten as food. The Parkinson's studies used bean extracts or compounds, which are a different product from a plate of beans. Observational findings show an association, not proof. The abstracts we read did not state who funded the work. Please do not use fava beans in place of a Parkinson's medicine.
How much is a normal serving
The USDA household portion is 1 cup of cooked fava beans (170 g), with about 187 kcal, 12.9 g of protein and 9.2 g of fiber (see the table). [5] The NHS counts 80 g of beans and pulses as one portion and says they count only once a day toward 5 A DAY. [15] Trials in the cholesterol analysis used a median of about 130 g of pulses a day. [3] This is information, not a prescription, and it does not apply to people with G6PD deficiency.
Safety, allergy and medicines
- G6PD deficiency (favism). Hemolytic anemia can follow eating fava beans or breathing in pollen from fava plants. [1] Reactions vary a lot from person to person and even in the same person at different times. [2] We did not read a source saying cooking makes fava beans safe for people with G6PD deficiency, so people with the condition should ask their clinician.
- Medicines and G6PD deficiency. MedlinePlus Genetics says hemolytic anemia can also be triggered by infections and certain drugs, including some antibiotics and malaria medicines. [1] One case report describes methylene blue making hemolysis worse in a patient who had eaten raw fava beans; tell any treating clinician about G6PD deficiency. [9]
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and infants. The 2023 review put pregnant women and exclusively breastfed infants in the group with the highest severity, and reported deaths in infants. [2] See foods in pregnancy: what official bodies advise and ask a clinician if G6PD deficiency runs in your family.
- Parkinson's disease medicines. We did not read a source on fava beans as food and levodopa medicine interactions. The 2019 review warned that beans contain many bioactive compounds, some harmful in large doses. [4] Ask your neurologist before changing your diet or medicines.
- Allergy: the sources we read for this page do not describe fava bean allergy. Food allergy can cause hives, swelling and trouble breathing; anaphylaxis is a medical emergency, call 911. [16] See food allergy basics.
- Gas, kidney disease, children: fermentable fibers can cause gas. [14] USDA lists 456 mg of potassium (10% of the Daily Value) per cup cooked. [5] We did not read a source on fava beans and kidney disease limits. See foods, kidney disease, potassium and oxalates.
Choosing, storing and food safety
- Cook dried beans fully. The FDA lists the lectin PHA in raw or undercooked beans (its example is kidney beans) and advises soaking for at least 5 hours and boiling for at least 30 minutes for those beans. [17] We did not read a source with a fava-specific boil time.
- Fresh raw fava beans were the trigger in the case report of hemolysis and methemoglobinemia. [9] People with G6PD deficiency should discuss all forms with a clinician.
- Canned beans are already cooked; see canned beans. We did not read a source on sodium in canned fava beans.
Related pages
Health connections for Fava Beans (Broad Beans)
What research links to eating or drinking this food, and how strong the evidence is. Many studies are observational or use juice, powder, oil or extracts rather than the food as eaten; each card says which.
Beans and LDL cholesterol (pulses as a group)
Clinically supportedPooled randomized trials found that about one serving a day of pulses lowered LDL cholesterol by 0.17 mmol/L compared with similar diets without pulses. No fava-only result was read.
Supplements: LDL as a measured outcome for pulses as a group, not for fava beans alone and not for heart attacks.
Beans and blood sugar
Preliminary or mixedPooled trials found lower fasting glucose and insulin with pulses alone and lower after-meal glucose than wheat or white rice, with large differences between trials.
Supplements: Pulses as a group; not a treatment for diabetes.
Fava beans and Parkinson's disease
Not enough evidenceBroad beans contain levodopa. Patient studies of extracts were small and short; reviewers had reservations about beans as a natural therapy.
Supplements: No evidence that eating fava beans treats Parkinson's disease.
Beans and body weight
Preliminary or mixedDiets with pulses gave a small extra weight loss of 0.34 kg on average over about 6 weeks in pooled trials.
Supplements: Small average effect, pulses as a group.
Folate, fiber and protein from fava beans
Established roleA cup of cooked fava beans gives about 44% of the folate Daily Value, 33% of fiber and 26% of protein, per USDA data.
Supplements: Food source; no claim that beans prevent deficiency diseases.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Root causes (1)
- Nutrient DeficiencyEstablished role
Cooked fava beans are a source of folate, fiber and protein per USDA; this is a food source, not a treatment for deficiency.
Biomarkers (1)
- HemoglobinDocumented risk
In G6PD deficiency, fava beans can destroy red blood cells and lower hemoglobin (hemolytic anemia).
Conditions & symptoms (2)
- FavismDocumented risk
Favism is hemolytic anemia after eating fava beans in people with G6PD deficiency. Severity varies; pregnant women and infants had the most severe cases in reports.
- FlatulencePreliminary or mixed
Legumes contain fermentable fibers that cause gas in some people.
Documented risks and interactions (3)
- Favism and G6PD deficiency. In people with G6PD deficiency, fava beans can cause hemolytic anemia: red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body replaces them.
- Fava beans in pregnancy, breastfeeding and infancy (favism). The 2023 review of case reports put pregnant women and exclusively breastfed infants in the group with the highest severity of favism.
- Medicines that can trigger hemolysis in G6PD deficiency. Some antibiotics and malaria medicines can trigger hemolysis in G6PD deficiency. One case report found methylene blue worsened hemolysis after raw fava beans.
Frequently asked questions
Who should not eat fava beans?
People with G6PD deficiency can get hemolytic anemia from fava beans. [1] If you have the condition or it runs in your family, ask your clinician before eating them.
What are the signs of favism?
Paleness, yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, tiredness, shortness of breath and a fast heart rate. [1] Get medical care promptly if these appear after eating fava beans.
Does cooking remove the favism risk?
We did not read a source showing that it does. A lab study found soaking and boiling lowered vicine by about 46% in faba beans, but it did not test safety for people with G6PD deficiency. [8]
Do fava beans help Parkinson's disease?
Fava beans contain levodopa, but studies in patients are scarce, short, and used extracts. Reviewers had reservations about beans as a natural therapy. [4] Do not replace medicine with beans.
Do fava beans lower cholesterol?
Pooled trials of pulses as a group found a small LDL drop of 0.17 mmol/L at about one serving a day. [3] We read no fava-only trial.
References
- MedlinePlus Genetics. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Last updated 2023-04-12. Read 2026-10-24.
- Favism: Clinical Features at Different Ages. Nutrients 2023 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Ha V et al. Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ 2014 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Knowing Your Beans in Parkinson's Disease: A Critical Assessment of Current Knowledge about Different Beans and Their Compounds in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and in Animal Models. Parkinsons Dis 2019 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central: Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (SR Legacy, FDC 173753). April 2018 release. Read 2026-10-24.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central: Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, raw (SR Legacy, FDC 175205). April 2018 release. Read 2026-10-24.
- Tesoro C et al. Vicia faba L. Pod Valves: A By-Product with High Potential as an Adjuvant in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease. 2024 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Fernandez Castaneda LA et al. Compositional and microstructural changes in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) during soaking and boiling. 2026 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Chen B, Han Y. Co-occurrence of acute hemolytic anemia and methemoglobinemia in a 74-year-old female with G6PD deficiency: a case report. Medicine 2025 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Sievenpiper JL et al. Effect of non-oil-seed pulses on glycaemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled experimental trials in people with and without diabetes. 2009 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Schiemann TB et al. Acute Effects of Non-Oil-Seed Pulses on Parameters of Cardiometabolic Health: A Systematic Review of Human Intervention Studies. Nutr Rev 2026 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Kim SJ et al. Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. 2016 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Reyneke GL et al. The Effect of Non-Oil Seed Legume Intake on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Adv Nutr 2023 (abstract read via Europe PMC). Read 2026-10-24.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source: Legumes. No update date shown on the page. Read 2026-10-24.
- NHS. 5 A DAY: what counts?. Read 2026-10-24.
- MedlinePlus. Food allergy. Read 2026-10-24.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Natural Toxins in Food. Content current as of 2024-09-26. Read 2026-10-24.