Broad bean, also called fava, is one of the oldest cultivated pulses, grown in the Near East for around ten thousand years. In India it is a small winter crop of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and the hills, sold as bakla. The large flat seeds are eaten green or dried. For people with G6PD deficiency, eating them can cause a dangerous breakdown of red blood cells called favism.
- Botanical name
- Vicia faba L.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Tamil
- Broad bean
- Hindi
- Bakla
- Parts used
- Seed
- Habit
- Cool-season bean; Tamil avarai is a shop word
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Broad bean
It is a stiff, upright annual, often knee- to waist-high, with a hollow, square stem.
The leaves are blue-green and divided into two to six oval leaflets, without the climbing tendrils of peas.
The flowers are white with a striking black blotch on each side wing, in small clusters at the leaf bases.
The pods are thick and fleshy, lined inside with a white, velvety padding, and hold a few large, flat seeds.
Indian avarai or mochai is a different plant, Lablab purpureus, a climbing bean with purple or white flowers.
Traditional use of Broad bean
Kitchen
In North India green bakla beans are cooked as a dry sabzi with potato in winter.
North Indian food practice
Kitchen
In Egypt, dried fava beans are stewed into ful medames and ground into falafel.
Egyptian food practice
Kitchen
Across the Mediterranean the young beans are shelled, blanched and slipped from their tough skins before cooking.
Mediterranean food practice
Modern notes on Broad bean
The beans contain vicine and convicine, which damage red blood cells in people who lack the enzyme G6PD, causing anaemia and jaundice.
G6PD deficiency is common in parts of the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Africa and some Indian communities.
The beans also contain L-dopa, a precursor of dopamine, which can interact with MAO-inhibitor antidepressants.
They are rich in protein and fibre and fix nitrogen in the soil.
Broad bean safety
Anyone with G6PD deficiency, or a family history of it, should avoid fava beans in any form, fresh, dried or cooked. People on MAO-inhibitor medicines should ask a doctor first.
Ecology and sourcing
It was domesticated in the Near East and spread early to Europe, North Africa and South Asia.
Like other legumes it hosts nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules and improves the soil for the next crop.
Bumblebees pollinate the flowers, sometimes biting through the flower base to steal nectar.
Related plants
Also in Fabaceae
Questions about Broad bean
What is favism?
Sudden red-cell breakdown after eating fava beans, in people with G6PD deficiency.
Is Broad bean the same as avarai?
No. Avarai is Lablab purpureus, a different bean.
When is Broad bean grown in India?
As a winter crop, sown after the monsoon and picked in late winter.
Do I need to peel the beans?
Large beans have a tough skin that many cooks remove after blanching.
Is Broad bean high in protein?
Yes. The dry beans are among the most protein-rich pulses.
Sources
- Vicia faba L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q131342 (Vicia faba)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.