What do you mean you’ve never heard of a fava bean?

Well, don’t worry, we’re here to give you the lowdown on why fava beans are so fantastic. From nutrition to saving our soil these little British beans really are magic.

What are fava beans?

Fava beans are from the same family (Vicia Faba) as the more widely known broad bean. They are an ancient crop and were grown and eaten by the ancient Egyptians.

While broad beans are picked and eaten fresh and green, fava beans are left in their pods in the field for longer and harvested as dried beans.

They are an ideal crop for growing in the UK as they are really suited to our climate. However, the vast majority of British grown fava beans are exported to other countries where there is a much bigger appetite for fava beans. We want to change that, which is why we roast British fava beans to make our delicious snacks.

Why should we eat fava beans?

Protein

Fava beans are nutritional powerhouses and can bring so much goodness into our diet.
Beans are the one of the best sources of plant protein out there, and the small but mighty fava bean is no exception. Protein plays a hugely important part of any balanced diet. It’s essential to maintaining all types of body tissue, especially muscle but, because our bodies don’t store it, we need to make sure we include protein in our diet to keep it balanced.

Fibre

Fava beans are packed with prebiotic fibre.

Prebiotics are the unique and essential foods needed to feed healthy gut bacteria, nourishing them and helping them to grow and flourish. Ultimately creating a happier, healthier gut microbiome. Prebiotics are scientifically proven to support weight management, mood and sleep.

The best ways to maximise your fibre intake is by eating a rainbow of fresh fruit and vegetables, and incorporating whole foods, such as brown rice, oatmeal and legumes (fava beans included!).

Why are fava beans good for the planet?

While fava bean plants are growing they draw in nitrogen from the air. The plants then hold the converted nitrogen in their roots, but as soon as the plant dies, it’s released into the soil. It can now be used by other plants. Nitrogen is essential for plant growth.

Plants that do this are called “nitrogen fixers” and are hugely helpful to farmers and gardeners alike.

Fava beans are one of the world’s most powerful nitrogen fixers. Once they have flowered and produced beans, the fava bean plant then releases nitrogen into the soil as it dies back. This process naturally enriches the soil, providing food and energy for the next crop of plants.

By adding more nitrogen to the soil than they take out, fava beans not only enrich the soil - they also eliminate the need for artificial fertilisers, making them a hugely sustainable crop to grow.

What’s the best way to eat fava beans?

Historically beans fell out of fashion because they were considered as peasant food. Dried beans were considered to be time consuming to prepare as they needed to be soaked and cooked to make them edible.

We roast British fava beans and add delicious seasonings to make our high protein and high fibre fava bean snacks.

If you want to embrace the plant power of fava beans snacks from the Honest Bean Co. are a great way to up your protein and dietary fibre intake.

Check out the 6 delicious flavours in our online store.