fava beans

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Fava beans are now found in the listings of Medicinal herb suppliers around the

world. The reason? L-dopa. It seems that the pods of Favas contain various

amounts of l-dopa, depending on the varietyl L-dopa is a chemical

neurotransmitter, the lack of which produces Parkinson’s disease. The pods are

being researched by the medical community as a source of l-dopa, and are being

prescribed or formulated by Narturopaths and other wholistic Medical

Practitioners.

 

The pods also appear in folk medicine, as a topical anti-fungal. Obtain fresh,

green fava pods, and rub the inside, fuzzy surface of the pod on the area to be

treated. This might be effective for athlets foot (tinia), ringworm, and warts,

as well as other minor fungal infections.

 

(The Fava Bean Project, 1992, 1998; http://members.efn.org/~rossr/ch18.html)

 

The bean produces the compound l-dopa, which corrects the imbalance in the brain

between dopamine and acetylcholine. Drug companies regularly prescribe l-dopa

for Parkinson’s disease. Beans are a hell of a lot cheaper than drugs. Not only

that, the Fava beans are richer in l-dopa than the standard commercial drug!

 

You will get gas though, and have to work up to where your digestion becomes

tolerant. (www.ambergriscaye.com/pages/medicine.html)

 

Soaking the beans for a few days, (changing the soaking water several times a

day) will take a good bit of the " toot " out of the beans. Soaking removes the

enzyme inhibitors (enzymes that keep the bean from sprouting unles there is

sufficient moisture to permit life), and it is these enzyme inhibitors that

produce much of the CO2 aka flatulence. The bean becomes a plant, even before it

has sprouted, and causes less flatulence.

 

Most beans are high in fiber and low in fat, just the ticket for lowering

cholesterol. And they contain lecithin, a nutrient that also helps reduce

cholesterol levels. One study found that a daily bowl of bean soup cuts

cholesterol by 19%. Cooking and eating dried beans has been linked to reduced

risk of diabetes and obesity, thanks to their effect on blood sugar and insulin

response. New research from the Canadian Dept of Agriculture finds that dried

beans also contain antioxidants, particularly phenols, which are potent free

radical scavengers. Even without the phyto-estrogens ro Cox-2 inhibitors in

beans, they protect against breast, cervical, colon, liver, skin and stomach

cancers.

 

Immature fava beans and pods can be eaten as a vegetable before the pods mature

and dry.

 

The fava is an ancient crop and a mystery. Small fava seeds were discovereed at

an archaeological site in northern Isreal, dating to 6500 BC, but there is no

archaeological evidence showing how humans domesticated this crop. All close

relatives of the fava have 14 chromosomes, fava has only 12. It cannot hybridize

with any of its relatives, abnd it did not descend from any of them. Where the

fava came from is obscure, for no wild fava has ever been found. it is presumed

that inthe intervening centuries, the wild fava went extinct. (Vicia faba L; F.

J. Muhelbauer and Abebe Tylly, NewCrop, Purdue University, 1997)

 

Fava beans are high in genistein, as are adzuki, black-eyed peas, and mung

beans.

 

The fava bean may in all likelihood is superior to the currently heralded drug

Tamoxifen for the prevention of breast and prostate cancers. These beans may

possible contain even more anti-cancer compounds, specifically Bowman Birk

inhibitors, estrogenic isoflavones, phytic acid, phytoesterols, and saponins

than soy.

 

Certain varieties of fava beans possess remarkably high levels of natural

l-dopa, which has been used successfully in anti-aging therapy. The l-dopa in

these beans increases levels of dopamine in the brain, which may quell cravings

for alcohol and other addictive drugs that reward the brain with dopamine.

Parkinson’s disease is caused by an inbalance between dopamine and

acetylcholine, and is medically treated with drugs like levodopa or laradopa.

 

A more natural approach when the brain is no longer able to generate dopamine on

its own? Eat more fava beans, which can take over and do what the body cannot do

for itself.

 

The lowly bean contains countless healing substances, including many benefits

found in pharmaceutical drugs. Here are only a few:

 

Alpha linolenic acid, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, prevents abnormal

blood clumping and helps lower blood pressure, while supporting the immune

system.

 

Apigenin, a Cox-2 inhibitor and sunscreen. Also protects against cancer and

toxins in foods.

 

Beta-sitisterol, is an antiviral plant sterol, which protects against breast

cancer and leukemia, while inhibiting inflammatory prostaglandins.

 

Daidzein, an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral, protects against

irregular heart rhythm and, as a plant estrogen, may prevent osteoporosis.

 

GABA fights high blood pressure and stress.

 

Genistein, another estrogenic isoflavone with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and

antiviral properties, prevents abnormal blood coltting and atherosclerosis,

while inhibiting osteoporosis and tumor promotion.

 

Phytic acid prevents abnormal blood clumping and fights cancer.

 

Stigmasterol, a plant sterol, helps protect the liver and prevent cancer.

 

Tryptophan, an amino acid that produces the " happy " neurotransmitter serotonin,

relieves anxiety and helps you sleep. (Editorial advisor James A. Duke,

botanical database for the US Dept. pf Agriculture: www.tasteforlife.com/

feature.magicbeans.tfl)

 

 

 

James Duke in his plant dispensery lists 529 active chemicals in the fava.

 

 

 

 

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