May Help Prevent Birth Defects

Folate, a vitamin that supports good embryonic development, is abundant in fava beans. The development of cells and organs depends on folate. In order to lower the chance of neural tube abnormalities, or problems with the brain and spinal cord development of her unborn child, a pregnant woman requires increased folate from meals and supplements. In fact, it is predicted that over 260,000 babies born globally in 2015 have neural tube abnormalities, many of which would have been avoidable with proper maternal folate consumption.

According to research involving more than 23,000 women, newborns of moms who consumed the most dietary folate per day compared to those whose consumption was the lowest saw a 77% reduced incidence of brain and spinal cord problems. Fava beans are a fantastic option for pregnant women since one cup (or 170 grams) contains 40% of the DV for folate.