Fresh broad beans can help the body excrete salt, which is beneficial for health
Core Tip: How to best eat fresh broad beans? First, peel them from the pods and blanch them to remove the white "protective film" covering each bean. The simplest way is to stir-fry them; they pair well with chives, ham, or minced meat.
May is the season for harvesting fresh broad beans. Recently, an American website also selected fresh broad beans as the star vegetable of the month.
The bean family is a renowned group of healthy foods. What's so special about broad beans? Broad beans contain a substance called L-dopa. This is a natural diuretic that helps the body eliminate excess sodium. And the reason we want to reduce salt is to consume less sodium. L-dopa can also produce dopamine. Research has found that patients with Parkinson's disease lack dopamine, so eating more fresh broad beans may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's. At the same time, fresh broad beans are also rich in dietary fiber, potassium, and folate, and are a good source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium.
How to best eat fresh broad beans? First, peel them from the pods and blanch them to remove the white "protective film" covering each bean. The simplest way is to stir-fry them; they pair well with chives, ham, or minced meat. You can also stew them in dishes or make soups; they can be cooked and then mashed into broad bean puree to make a nutritious and delicious dip. Of course, you can also roast them in the pods and serve them directly.
"Star" Profile
100 grams of broad beans contain:
*Energy: 104 kcal
*Fat: 0.4 g
*Carbohydrates: 19.5 g
*Protein: 8.8 g
*Dietary Fiber: 3.1 g
*Glycemic Index: Low