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Fava beans, also called broad beans, are the large flat seeds of Vicia faba, one of the oldest cultivated legumes. In USDA data, one cup of boiled mature fava beans has about 187 calories, 12.9 grams of protein, 9.2 grams of fiber and close to half the Daily Value for folate and copper. They are also a bean with a well-known genetic warning: in people with G6PD deficiency, eating fava beans can set off a reaction called favism. This guide covers fava beans nutrition, favism, a medicine warning about the pods, and how to cook dried and fresh beans.
Peptide Labs does not sell fava beans or fava bean products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Fava beans and broad beans are the same plant, Vicia faba; fresh green beans and dried mature beans have very different nutrition profiles.
- One cup of boiled mature fava beans (170 g) has about 187 calories, 12.9 grams of protein and 9.2 grams of fiber in USDA data.
- MedlinePlus lists eating fava beans or inhaling fava pollen as a trigger of hemolytic anemia in people with G6PD deficiency, a reaction called favism.
- The US prescribing information for phenelzine, an MAOI antidepressant, tells patients to avoid pods of broad beans.
- Dried beans need thorough cooking; canned fava beans can be high in sodium, so check the label.
What are fava beans and broad beans?
Fava bean and broad bean are two names for the same plant. US recipes tend to say fava, while British and Australian cooks usually say broad bean. The beans grow in thick, padded green pods. Picked young, the seeds are bright green and tender and are eaten fresh like peas. Left to mature and dry, they turn tan or brown and are sold dried, split or canned, like other pulses.
Dried fava beans are a staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. In Egypt they are stewed into ful medames and ground for falafel, and fresh broad beans appear in spring dishes across Italy, Spain and the UK. If you like chickpeas or lentils, fava beans fit the same kind of meals, and our Mediterranean diet guide shows where pulses sit in that eating pattern.
Fava beans nutrition facts from USDA
The table uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for mature fava beans boiled without salt (FDC 173753), canned fava beans (FDC 173754) and raw immature broad beans, the fresh green kind (FDC 170377), converted to USDA cup weights. Percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values printed on Nutrition Facts labels.
| Nutrient (USDA SR Legacy) | Mature, boiled, 1 cup (170 g) | Canned, 1 cup (256 g) | Fresh immature, raw, 1 cup (109 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 187 | 182 | 78 |
| Protein | 12.9 g (26% DV) | 14.0 g (28% DV) | 6.1 g (12% DV) |
| Carbohydrate | 33.4 g (12% DV) | 31.8 g (12% DV) | 12.7 g (5% DV) |
| Fiber | 9.2 g (33% DV) | 9.5 g (34% DV) | 4.6 g (16% DV) |
| Folate | 177 mcg DFE (44% DV) | 84 mcg DFE (21% DV) | 105 mcg DFE (26% DV) |
| Copper | 0.44 mg (49% DV) | 0.28 mg (31% DV) | 0.08 mg (9% DV) |
| Manganese | 0.72 mg (31% DV) | 0.74 mg (32% DV) | 0.35 mg (15% DV) |
| Magnesium | 73 mg (17% DV) | 82 mg (20% DV) | 41 mg (10% DV) |
| Iron | 2.6 mg (14% DV) | 2.6 mg (14% DV) | 2.1 mg (12% DV) |
| Potassium | 456 mg (10% DV) | 620 mg (13% DV) | 273 mg (6% DV) |
| Vitamin C | 0.5 mg (1% DV) | 4.6 mg (5% DV) | 36 mg (40% DV) |
| Sodium | 9 mg (0% DV) | 1,160 mg (50% DV) | 55 mg (2% DV) |
Three things stand out in the USDA numbers. Boiled mature fava beans are a solid source of plant protein and fiber, with folate and copper near half the Daily Value per cup; our methylfolate guide explains folate and why food folate is counted in DFE units. The fresh green beans are lighter and bring vitamin C, about 40% of the Daily Value per raw cup, which the dried beans lack. And the canned entry lists about 1,160 milligrams of sodium per cup in USDA data, half the FDA Daily Value, so the label matters; our low-sodium foods guide covers how to read it.
Broad beans compared with other pulses
Per 100 grams of each bean boiled without salt, USDA SR Legacy data put fava beans close to other common pulses on calories and protein, a little lower on fiber and folate.
| Per 100 g, boiled (USDA FDC ID) | Calories | Protein | Fiber (% DV) | Folate (% DV) | Iron (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fava beans (173753) | 110 | 7.6 g | 5.4 g (19%) | 104 mcg DFE (26%) | 1.5 mg (8%) |
| Lentils (172421) | 116 | 9.0 g | 7.9 g (28%) | 181 mcg DFE (45%) | 3.3 mg (18%) |
| Chickpeas (173757) | 164 | 8.9 g | 7.6 g (27%) | 172 mcg DFE (43%) | 2.9 mg (16%) |
| Black beans (173735) | 132 | 8.9 g | 8.7 g (31%) | 149 mcg DFE (37%) | 2.1 mg (12%) |
| Lima beans, large (174253) | 115 | 7.8 g | 7.0 g (25%) | 83 mcg DFE (21%) | 2.4 mg (13%) |
No single pulse wins on every nutrient, which is a good reason to rotate them. Lentils lead on iron and folate, black beans on fiber, and fava beans hold their own on protein for their calories. Lima beans are a different species, Phaseolus lunatus, despite a similar flat shape. For more plant sources of protein see our protein foods guide, and for fiber comparisons see fiber-rich foods.
Favism and G6PD deficiency
G6PD deficiency is an inherited condition in which red blood cells lack enough of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. MedlinePlus Genetics, from the National Library of Medicine, states that in people with this condition, hemolytic anemia can occur after eating fava beans or inhaling pollen from fava plants, a reaction called favism. Hemolytic anemia means red blood cells break down faster than the body replaces them.
- Who has it: MedlinePlus estimates that 400 million people worldwide have G6PD deficiency. It is most frequent in parts of Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and affects about 1 in 10 African American males in the United States.
- Why males more often: the gene is inherited in an X-linked pattern, and males have only one X chromosome.
- Other triggers: according to MedlinePlus, episodes are most often set off by bacterial or viral infections or by certain drugs, such as some antibiotics and medicines used against malaria. Fava beans are one trigger among several.
- Warning signs: MedlinePlus lists paleness, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), dark urine, fatigue, shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate.
If you or your child has the condition, or a family history of it, ask a clinician about fava beans, fava flour and dishes such as falafel that may contain them. Jaundice, dark urine or sudden breathlessness after eating fava beans needs prompt medical care. Favism, as MedlinePlus describes it, occurs in people with G6PD deficiency.
Fava bean pods and MAOI medicines
A second, separate caution applies to a small group of people. The US prescribing information for phenelzine, an older antidepressant in the MAOI class, warns that dangerous blood pressure spikes (hypertensive crises) may be caused by foods with a high concentration of tyramine or dopamine. Among the foods it tells patients to avoid are aged cheeses, dry sausages, yeast extract and pods of broad beans (fava beans). USDA lists a separate entry for raw fava beans in the pod (FDC 168574). If you are prescribed an MAOI, follow the food list from your prescriber or pharmacist rather than general nutrition articles.
How to cook dried and fresh fava beans
The FDA’s Bad Bug Book explains that phytohaemagglutinin, a natural lectin, is found in many species of beans and is highest in red kidney beans; it states that broad beans contain 5% to 10% of the amount in red kidney beans. The FDA says this toxin is destroyed by adequate cooking, advises boiling kidney beans for at least 30 minutes, and warns that slow cookers may not get hot enough to destroy it. Our lectins guide covers the topic in more depth. Practical steps:
- Dried beans: soak them, discard the soaking water and boil in fresh water until fully tender. Many cooks also slip off the tough outer skins after soaking or cooking.
- Fresh beans: shell them from the pod, blanch briefly, then pinch each bean out of its pale inner skin. This double peeling is why fresh broad beans take time to prepare.
- Canned beans: they are already cooked; compare sodium on the label and choose lower-sodium versions if that matters to you.
- Ideas: mash cooked fava beans with olive oil, lemon and garlic; stew them with cumin for ful medames; toss fresh beans with peas, mint and pasta.
Fava beans are not one of the nine major food allergens that FDA requires companies to declare, but any food can cause a reaction, and our elimination diet guide explains why food testing should be supervised. If you are eating smaller portions on a GLP-1 medicine, our GLP-1 diet guide covers how fiber- and protein-rich pulses fit into lighter meals. For a sweeter legume used in desserts, see our sibling guide to adzuki beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are fava beans and broad beans the same?
Yes. Both names refer to Vicia faba. Fava is more common in the US and broad bean in the UK and Australia.
What is favism?
Favism is hemolytic anemia set off by eating fava beans or inhaling fava pollen in people with G6PD deficiency, an inherited enzyme condition, according to MedlinePlus.
Can everyone eat fava beans?
Most people can. People with G6PD deficiency should ask a clinician about them, and people taking an MAOI antidepressant should follow their prescriber’s food list, which for phenelzine includes broad bean pods.
How much protein is in fava beans?
About 12.9 grams per cup of boiled mature fava beans, according to USDA SR Legacy data.
Do you have to peel fava beans?
Fresh beans are usually shelled and then peeled from their inner skin. Dried beans are often skinned after soaking or cooking, though some recipes keep the skins.
Can you eat fava beans raw?
Dried fava beans should be soaked and boiled until tender. The FDA notes that lectins in beans are destroyed by adequate cooking.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Adzuki Beans: Nutrition, Red Bean Paste and How to Cook Them, Lima Beans: Nutrition, Butter Beans and Cooking Safety, High Protein Foods: USDA Values for Meat, Dairy and Plant Sources.