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Fabulous Favas

5/22/2013

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Considered one of the tastiest of the beans, fava beans have been consumed for over 6000 years.  Although they require more preparation than most other beans, they are filled with both flavor and nutrition.

Fava beans, also known as broad beans or horse beans, were originally cultivated in the Mediterranean or Asia Minor.  These green pods resemble pea pods on steroids.   They also possess a powerful nutritional profile.  Fava beans, like lentils, peas and other beans, are members of the legume family.  Legumes are defined as plants with seedpods that split in half.  Legumes have long been consumed around the world except in most Western diets.  From an agricultural perspective, legumes are important nitrogen-fixers of the soil.  Many traditional farmers employ nitrogen-fixing legumes in their crop rotation cycle to put important nutrients back into the soil and enhance future crops.  For more about home gardening and the importance of soils, see the gardening section of my resources page http://www.bettereatingcoach.com/resources.html. 

Fava beans are a great source of low-fat, vegetarian protein.  Unlike animal protein, which is comprised of saturated fat, the small amount of fat in fava beans is mostly unsaturated.  As protein is so important to our overall health, incorporating fava beans into your meal will give you more sustained energy during the day and help in regulating blood sugar levels.  For more about the importance of protein, see my article http://www.bettereatingcoach.com/72412-benefits-of-breakfast.html.  The protein in fava beans is not a complete protein; it does not possess the full array of amino acids.  To obtain the remaining amino acids that the body requires to make cells, hormones, etc., one should also consume corn or brown rice. 

These creamy beans are also a rich source of dietary fiber; ½ cup is about 1/6th of the DRI (dietary reference intake) for adults.   As stated in previous articles, dietary fiber helps to cleanse the colon and digestive tract.  It has also been shown that dietary fiber acts to escort the LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol out of our bodies; thus being supportive of our cardiovascular system.  Check out my article about fiber at http://www.bettereatingcoach.com/22713-not-just-dijon.html.

Other important nutrients in fava beans are:

·      Folates with vitamin B12 are vital for healthy DNA synthesis and cell division.  Folate and B12 also are important for our heart health.  Fava beans contain about 106% of the RDA in ½ cup (100 grams). 

·      Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6 are important components of supplying the cells with energy.  They also work to help our metabolism of proteins, carbs, and fats. 

·      Iron, copper, manganese, calcium, potassium and magnesium are important co-factors for many body systems.  Consider potassium--fava beans actually contain one of the highest amounts of potassium from a vegetable source.  Potassium plays a vital role in the optimal functioning of our cells and regulation of blood pressure and heart health by assisting the transport of fluids into the cells.  It directly counteracts the effects of sodium in the body. 

·      Phytonutrients are plant compounds that actually impart health benefits to us.  They typically are antioxidants and quench free radicals that are in our bodies.  The phytonutrients studied in fava beans are isoflavones and plant sterols.  The plant sterols have been associated with helping to lower cholesterol levels.

·      L-Dopa is found in fava beans.  L-Dopa is a precursor to dopamine, one of our neurotransmitters.  L-Dopa is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.  Studies have been done showing that consuming fava beans may help in the treatment of Parkinson’s.  Three ounces (about ½ cup) of fresh beans is equivalent to between 50-100 mg of L-Dopa.  Amounts of L-Dopa from fava beans vary based on their size and soil conditions.  If you are eating favas for its L-Dopa nutrients, consult your doctor about your medication. 

So how do you prepare these beans to eat?  When purchasing, look for evenly shaped, green pods.  Avoid pods that are yellow, which indicates the beans are too mature and will be dry and bitter.  Once at home, they will keep refrigerated for about one week.  Cut the pods along the seam.  Once split, remove the beans from the shell.  They will have a thick whitish skin that needs to be removed.  Blanch the beans in boiling water for about one minute.  Then drain and rinse under iced water to stop any further cooking.  The blanching will soften the coating.  Squeeze the bean from skin and prepare in your favorite dish.

Please note that fava beans contain tyramine, which is contraindicated for those on MAOIs.  Also, avoid eating fava beans or inhaling the pollen from the plants if you have the hereditary ailment called favism, which causes an allergic reaction in a small segment of the population.

Otherwise, enjoy these springtime wonders!  They are more labor intensive, but they are great in soups, salads and spreads.
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Spice It Up

5/8/2013

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Herbs and spices have been around since our ancestors early days.  I have sometimes wondered how early humans figured out how to use certain parts of trees or plants to obtain specific benefits.  Fortunately, we are the beneficiaries of their experimentation.  Herbs and spices are used as flavor enhancers and home remedies; they have even been considered “medicines in smaller dosages”.

All herbs and spices originate from plants.  They are classified based on the part of the plant from where they come.  Herbs are the leafy part of the plant.  They can be used either fresh or dried.  Herbs are found wherever plants grow around the world.  Spices, on the other hand, emanate from all other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruit.  Spices are commonly dried and typically come from the Far East or the tropics.  Some herbs and spices are even from the same plant.  For example, cilantro, an herb, is the leaf and coriander, a spice, is the seed of the same plant.  They exhibit varied flavors and are used differently in food preparation.

Spices and herbs are wonderful additions to the meals we create enhancing the flavor.  Changing spices can result in an entirely different dish.  We can even reduce our intake of salt, especially those needing heart-healthy foods, by flavoring with herbs or spices instead.  This addition of flavor may also result in lower fat and sugar consumed in our foods.  Keep in mind that spices are generally stronger than herbs so less is needed.

Spices are also being studied for their anti-inflammatory properties.  As many diseases are inflammatory in nature, reducing inflammation is quite important.  Spices may also help boost our metabolism, assist in calorie control and improve our overall diet.  One spice, cinnamon, is known to support blood sugar regulation.  Most spices are low in calories and high in B vitamins and trace minerals.  They have even been found to possess anti-microbial properties.

In addition to the above properties, herbs and spices increase our intake of important antioxidants.  For example, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon has an equivalent level of antioxidants as ½ cup blueberries or one cup of pomegranate juice.  A food’s ORAC score measures the antioxidant potential of foods.  Developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) measures a food’s units of antioxidants.  The USDA recommends that we consume a minimum of 3000-5000 units per day.  Soil conditions, processing and species variety can affect these values.  Diets high in ORAC scores are associated with decreased disease risk.  For a listing of ORAC scores, click here.  Keep in mind that these values are based on 100 grams of food.  When looking at ORAC spice values, the quantity typically used is nowhere close to 100 grams.  For more about antioxidants, click here.

So what’s the best way to have spices and herbs in our diet?  Freshly harvested herbs will give the maximum benefit of antioxidants and other nutrients.  For instance, fresh garlic has 1.5 times the antioxidants as dried garlic powder.  In addition, herbs typically have a variety of antioxidants all working synergistically.  We can obtain more types of antioxidants by consuming a variety of herbs.  Six herbs with the highest levels of antioxidants are oregano, sage, peppermint, thyme, lemon balm, and marjoram.  The highest antioxidant-containing spices or dried herbs are cloves, allspice, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme and marjoram. 

Growing fresh herbs is easy to do and is a great way to involve our children in appreciating what the earth provides.  Ensure a sunny spot that is well drained for your herb garden.  You can even grow pots of herbs on a sunny windowsill.  When storing fresh herbs, loosely wrap them in a damp paper towel and then seal in a ziplock bag.  They will usually keep refrigerated for about 5 days.  Herbs can even be frozen to lengthen their useful life. 

Sometimes, fresh herbs are not possible.  During the drying process, water is removed concentrating the flavor of the herb.  However, some of the antioxidants will be lost.  In addition, dried herbs and spices don’t last forever.  They typically lose their potency after one year.  Store dried herbs and spices in a dark place away from moisture.  A good way to assess whether your dried spices are still effective is using your senses.  They should look, smell and taste like fresh herbs.

When cooking with herbs, heat inactivates many of their beneficial qualities.  For fresh herbs, it is best to add them near the end of cooking.  This is especially true for more delicate herbs like basil, dill and parsley.  Heartier herbs such as thyme, rosemary and oregano can withstand a bit more heat.  Dried herbs can be added earlier in the cooking process, as it takes longer for their flavors to be released.  As dried herbs are more concentrated, you probably only need to use ¼- ½ teaspoon of ground dried herbs compared to 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.

For some delicious recipes using herbs, click here to try my thyme salmon with verde sauce or click here for my chicken squash stew.  Experiment with some new spice combinations.  You may be pleasantly surprised!

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