Legumes – Health and Medicinal Benefits for the Human Body

Legumes – Health and Medicinal Benefits for the Human Body

Legumes have remarkable health and therapeutic benefits for the human body. This broad category includes varieties such as chickpeas, sprouted fava beans, cooked fava beans, soybeans, falafel, and bisara. Let’s explore the health benefits of each type.

Chickpeas
Chickpeas are one of the principal legumes, used widely in traditional and modern cuisine, whether roasted, in hot drinks, chickpea-based sweets, or classic dishes like hummus with tahini.

Health Benefits:

 

1. Drinking chickpea water with rock sugar helps break down kidney stones and eliminates salts from the kidneys.

2. Drinking it alone strengthens a weak bladder.

3. A mixture of chickpea water with Arabic sumac is beneficial for a weakened uterus, helping to prevent miscarriage.

Every 100 grams of chickpeas provide about 370 calories and contain 2.6% water, 26.5% protein, 9% fat, 73% carbohydrates, along with calcium (74 mg), phosphorus (350 mg), potassium (390 mg), sulfur (219 mg), chlorine (50 mg), iron (5.5 mg), and small amounts of vitamin A and several B vitamins, notably thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, plus 2 mg of vitamin C.

Chickpeas help purify the blood, promote urination and menstruation, and support kidney and liver health. Research indicates that chickpeas have a masculine hormonal effect that can aid in treating male sexual weakness.

Peanuts
Peanuts are also a mainstay among legumes. They are rich in protein and are eaten roasted, salted, or used in sweets, soap production, and oil extraction.

Health Benefits: Every 100 grams of peanuts provide about 600 calories, containing 2.6% water, 26.9% protein, 44.2% fats, and a host of minerals like calcium (74 mg), phosphorus (392 mg), and iron (1.9 mg). Peanuts also offer significant amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.

Peanut extracts have even been used as ideal foods for astronauts during space missions, thanks to their nutritional richness.

Soybeans
Nutritional Value and Benefits:

1. Soybeans are among the best plant-based protein sources, containing about 25% protein, making them a staple for producing plant-based meat.

2. They yield 25% oil, used in food, margarine production, paints, and varnishes.

3. The seeds are used in both human and animal food.

4. Soy flour is used to produce infant formula.

5. Green soybeans serve as excellent livestock feed.

Cooked Fava Beans
Cooked fava beans (known as “foul medames”) are a staple meal rich in history and nutrition. Despite lacking some amino acids found in meat and eggs, fava beans offer high satiety, requiring longer digestion, which helps sustain energy throughout the day.

Nutritional Value: Every 100 grams contain 67.5% water, 34.8% protein, 18.1% fat, and 12% carbohydrates, along with important minerals like calcium (27 mg), phosphorus (586 mg), and iron (8 mg). Fava beans are rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, niacin, and a small amount of vitamin C.

Due to their calcium and phosphorus content, fava beans strengthen bones, while their iron helps in forming hemoglobin. However, since cooking can reduce vitamin B1 levels, it’s common to combine fava beans with fats like oil or butter to enhance their nutritional value.

Eating fava beans with a salad containing tomatoes, onions, lettuce, or cucumbers and a piece of white cheese results in a highly nutritious meal.

Sprouted Fava Beans (Nabit)
Sprouted fava bean soup is particularly easy on the stomach, nutritious, and easy to digest. It is prepared by soaking fava beans until they sprout, then boiling them with a bit of oil and cumin or other spices.

Health Benefits: Sprouted beans are richer in protein and vitamins B and C compared to unsprouted beans. The process of soaking and sprouting enhances the nutritional profile, retaining vitamin C even after cooking. Adding lemon or vinegar improves vitamin C retention further. Sprouted fava bean soup is particularly beneficial for digestion, post-illness recovery, and gastrointestinal comfort.

Falafel (Ta'amiya)
Falafel is a beloved, nutritious food, originally made by the ancient Egyptians using ground fava beans, formed into patties and cooked for offerings to the gods. Over time, it evolved into today's famous deep-fried dish, especially popular in the Middle East.

Health Benefits: Falafel dough is made from crushed fava beans, rich in plant-based protein, and mixed with chopped vegetables like onions, parsley, leeks, mint, and garlic, enhancing its vitamin A, B, and C content. Adding sesame seeds boosts vitamin E (the fertility vitamin), while adding eggs enriches it with iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Paired with a vegetable salad, falafel becomes a complete and healthy meal.

Bisara
Bisara is a traditional Egyptian dish dating back to Pharaonic times (originally called "Bsi-Auro"). It’s made from soaked, crushed fava beans blended with greens like parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, and garlic, then cooked with a little oil and spices.

Health Benefits: Mixing fava beans with various greens enhances bisara’s nutritional value. It’s rich in protein, vitamin B2 (important for night vision and corneal health), and vitamin C. Additionally, bisara is abundant in essential minerals like calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, sodium, and magnesium.

Bisara is highly nutritious, easy to digest, delicious, and easily absorbed by the intestines, making it a valuable food for overall health and vitality.