Fava bean
What it is
Fava bean, also called broad bean, is a legume. This reference describes mature seeds cooked by boiling without salt.
What it does
For the named reference food, USDA lists 110 kcal, 19.6 g carbohydrate and 5.4 g fiber per 100 g edible portion. The table gives additional nutrients for that same food form. These figures describe composition, not an effect on a disease or a recommended serving.
Research context and ingredient forms
Reference food: Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt. These are historical SR Legacy data from the April 2018 release, published in FoodData Central in 2019. A different variety, preparation, water content, or commercial recipe can change the result. For a matching food, a portion estimate scales each value by edible portion grams divided by 100.
Using this information
Mature cooked beans, immature fresh beans, and dried uncooked beans have different water contents. This food is distinct from lima beans and needs the specific G6PD precaution below.
Considerations
Fava beans can trigger breakdown of red blood cells in people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. People with this condition need to follow their clinician's advice about avoiding fava beans.
Food sources and composition
| Nutrient | Amount and serving basis | Food and source |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 110 kcal per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Protein | 7.6 g per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.4 g per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 19.6 g per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Fiber, total dietary | 5.4 g per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Calcium, Ca | 36 mg per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Iron, Fe | 1.5 mg per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Magnesium, Mg | 43 mg per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Potassium, K | 268 mg per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.3 mg per 100 g edible portion | Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt; Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt SR Legacy April 2018; FDC published 2019-04-01 |
Scientific Research & References
- Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt
2019 · USDA Agricultural Research Service
Limitations: Historical food/preparation-specific composition. Values can be analytical, calculated or imputed; not a current brand label or clinical-outcome estimate.
Source assessment recorded.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy Release: Documentation
2018 · USDA Agricultural Research Service
Limitations: Historical dataset; values may be analytical, calculated, imputed, or assumed zero. Not clinical-outcome evidence.
Source assessment recorded.
- Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
MedlinePlus Genetics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
Limitations: Supports the specifically mapped statement, not a food-specific treatment benefit.
Source assessment recorded.
Related dictionary entries
Products containing it
No label-specific product relationship has been reviewed for this entry.