Fava beans: Beloved treat with unexpected health risks

Fava beans are a favourite vegetable of many people. Not only do they taste great, but they also have a range of health-promoting properties. Unfortunately, not everyone can safely enjoy this seasonal delicacy. Who should avoid fava beans?

Many people wait all year for the opportunity to prepare fresh fava beans, which are available for a relatively short period. Fava beans also offer several health benefits.

Fava beans are rich in B vitamins, vitamin K, protein, dietary fibre, magnesium, iron, and copper. Additionally, they are fat-free, support weight loss, and lower the level of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood. Therefore, they are a snack that positively affects our health. Nevertheless, certain groups of people should limit their consumption.

Fava beans can be problematic for people with diabetes. When cooked, they have a high glycemic index, which can raise blood glucose levels in diabetics. Thus, it is highly recommended that diabetics avoid this snack.

People suffering from gout should also avoid fava beans. They contain purines, which can increase the production of uric acid that accumulates in tissues and organs. However, this is not the only contraindication regarding the urinary system. Consumption of fava beans is also not recommended for kidney stones since purines can lead to the formation of kidney stones and crystals in the urinary tract.

Excessive consumption of fava beans or contact with their pollen can, in some people, increase the risk of favism. This condition, also known as bean disease, is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to an enzyme deficiency. Favism manifests itself in the shortening of the lifespan of red blood cells, which can lead to anaemia. Notably, the disease has various symptoms.

Symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, headaches, lower back pain, pallor, jaundice, dark-coloured urine, and anaemia. Favism primarily affects people with genetic predispositions.

People with Parkinson's disease often take medications containing levodopa, which converts into dopamine in the brain. Consumption of fava beans can increase dopamine levels in the blood, potentially leading to undesirable health effects such as problems with attention or perception and even hallucinations.