Who should avoid fava beans despite their health benefits?

Fava beans are one of many people's favorite vegetables. 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, also considering the fact that they are available for a relatively short period. Fava beans also have several health benefits.

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

For people with diabetes, fava beans can be problematic. This is because of the high glycemic index of cooked fava beans, which can raise blood glucose levels in diabetics. Avoiding this snack is therefore highly recommended.

People suffering from gout should also avoid fava beans. Fava beans contain purines, which can increase the production of uric acid that accumulates in tissues and organs. This, however, is not the only contraindication in the context of the urinary system. Consumption of fava beans is also not recommended for kidney stones because 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 a deficiency of one of the enzymes. Favism manifests itself in the shortening of the lifespan of red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. Importantly, the disease has several varied symptoms.

Among them are abdominal pain, vomiting, headaches, lower back pain, pallor, jaundice, dark-colored urine, and anemia. Favism primarily affects people with genetic predispositions.

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