Fava Beans

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Hello, Benzo Buddies:

 

I just heard that fava beans have a high content of L-Dopa.  I don't know if it is true, but I watched this man's video and he speaks of fava beans actually helping with depression.  Only one way to find out I guess.  Here is the video I just watched.  The man says they are only to be eaten in small quantities.  Since this is a healthy food, and NOT a supplement, I felt very comfortable making this post.

 

 

Kian

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I had some Fava beans for the first time today in my whole life.  It's amazing what we will do to try to find relief from this!  

 

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the beans.  I mixed them with kidney beans since I heard Fava beans are not supposed to be eaten in mass quantities.  I also eat lots of fish too, and I recently discovered that cilantro actually is the best known food to rid the body of mercury from fish.  It was a study done by the Japanese people who I happen to know most of them eat lots of fish, so I believe this to be true of cilantro.  I added some fresh basil and cilantro to the kidney bean/ fava bean meal I had today along with some pink himalayan salt.  I like the beans with added cilantro...adds some much needed flavor.  Fava beans are huge! lol oh by the way, something else I discovered (on the internet of course!) kidney beans are actually good for your kidneys!  Go figure!

 

Kian

[[Ni...]]

This is very interesting, I have never had Fava beans before, but I like the fact that they are a food and not a supplement, nothing against supplements but I am hesitant to take something that has been chemically modified.  I use a lot of fresh basil and cilantro myself, just for flavor, but I think that there are probably some good things in herbs, as long as we don't over do them. Thanks for this post, I think I will start researching more about foods and herbs.

 

Cheers,

 

Nicolette

[[de...]]

just curious.  does L-dopa have anything to do with dopamine?  i'm hearing that low dopamine levels have a lot to do with restless leg syndrome.  i've had RLS all of my life, even as a child.  comes and goes.  in withdrawal i get what feels like RLS in my whole body....hate it.  one of the worst symptoms.  i'd like to try fava beans if they help.  will you let us know if you feel they've made a difference?  thanks. 

[[...]]

This is very interesting, I have never had Fava beans before, but I like the fact that they are a food and not a supplement, nothing against supplements but I am hesitant to take something that has been chemically modified.   I use a lot of fresh basil and cilantro myself, just for flavor, but I think that there are probably some good things in herbs, as long as we don't over do them. Thanks for this post, I think I will start researching more about foods and herbs.

 

Cheers,

 

Nicolette

 

Nicolette,

 

I'm a firm believer that eating right, and I mean VERY HEALTHY, as a lifestyle, and not a "diet" is the best way to go as far as just giving our minds and bodies what they need to do what they were meant to do.  Having spent way too much time messing myself up mostly in ignorance, I figure why not dedicate myself to putting good things into my body for a long period of time?

 

It took a very long time to get as bad off as I am today, so I figure it could take a long time to get more healthy, too.  Surely I will not be healthy unless I get of benzos and recover, but since I changed the way I eat, I am finding out that it is making this journey more bearable and could be the "key" to my ultimate success in this very long and painful journey off of benzos.

 

I figure just put as many healthy foods into my body as I can and let my body "decide" which ones it needs to be better off.  So far, in my over two year battle with benzos now, this is what has helped me the most and I just started less than two months ago.  Basil and cilantro are very good for you.  I just recently made a new cold/flu killer recipe for a pesto with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, pink himalayan salt, and basil with a food processor and it was actually very good and can be like a natural antibiotic because it is healthy!  I think that garlic helps kill even a virus!  It's the only food/herb that is known for being able to kill some viruses.  For years and years, people have been saying that you can't kill a virus, but I don't think this is true.  The last time I just recently got the flu, I ate some raw garlic, and my flu went away.  I totally recovered from it and did not have to take an antibiotic.  Everyone else in my family took one and they are still sick!  Good luck with your research...thanks for the comment, and take care...

 

Kian

[[...]]

just curious.  does L-dopa have anything to do with dopamine?  i'm hearing that low dopamine levels have a lot to do with restless leg syndrome.  i've had RLS all of my life, even as a child.  comes and goes.  in withdrawal i get what feels like RLS in my whole body....hate it.  one of the worst symptoms.  i'd like to try fava beans if they help.  will you let us know if you feel they've made a difference?  thanks.  

 

desilou,

 

Fava beans have a substance in them that is similar to L dopa which is a form of L dopamine.  This is why the fava beans help the body produce L dopa and thus can help with depression.  Do a search on L dopa and RLS and see what comes up.  In the video I posted here, he says that fava beans are used to help people with Parkinson's disease.  This may be similar to RLS in some ways.  I'm not sure.  I hope you find out some things that help you!  I'm fairly clueless when it comes to remembering things and learning all this stuff about good foods, but I have become much better at doing research on the internet!  I just do searches on things that interest me as far as healing and recovery is concerned.  I'm amazed at all the articles and videos out there that have actually helped me in some way.  I think most people in benzo withdrawals would have to say we are at least a little bit better off because of the internet.  I use to hate computers and the internet until I had my first tolerance breakdown.

 

So sorry to hear about your horrible problems with RLS.  I hope you feel better.....

 

Kian

[[Ni...]]

This is very interesting, I have never had Fava beans before, but I like the fact that they are a food and not a supplement, nothing against supplements but I am hesitant to take something that has been chemically modified.   I use a lot of fresh basil and cilantro myself, just for flavor, but I think that there are probably some good things in herbs, as long as we don't over do them. Thanks for this post, I think I will start researching more about foods and herbs.

 

Cheers,

 

Nicolette

 

Nicolette,

 

I'm a firm believer that eating right, and I mean VERY HEALTHY, as a lifestyle, and not a "diet" is the best way to go as far as just giving our minds and bodies what they need to do what they were meant to do.  Having spent way too much time messing myself up mostly in ignorance, I figure why not dedicate myself to putting good things into my body for a long period of time?

 

It took a very long time to get as bad off as I am today, so I figure it could take a long time to get more healthy, too.  Surely I will not be healthy unless I get of benzos and recover, but since I changed the way I eat, I am finding out that it is making this journey more bearable and could be the "key" to my ultimate success in this very long and painful journey off of benzos.

 

I figure just put as many healthy foods into my body as I can and let my body "decide" which ones it needs to be better off.  So far, in my over two year battle with benzos now, this is what has helped me the most and I just started less than two months ago.  Basil and cilantro are very good for you.  I just recently made a new cold/flu killer recipe for a pesto with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, pink himalayan salt, and basil with a food processor and it was actually very good and can be like a natural antibiotic because it is healthy!  I think that garlic helps kill even a virus!  It's the only food/herb that is known for being able to kill some viruses.  For years and years, people have been saying that you can't kill a virus, but I don't think this is true.  The last time I just recently got the flu, I ate some raw garlic, and my flu went away.  I totally recovered from it and did not have to take an antibiotic.  Everyone else in my family took one and they are still sick!  Good luck with your research...thanks for the comment, and take care...

 

Kian

 

Kian,

 

I really believe in the healing properties of garlic as well. When anyone gets sick with a cold I make chicken noodle soup from scratch and I put fresh garlic and fresh ginger root in it, and it seems to stop a cold unless it's already gone to far.

 

I make my own pesto too. I put fresh basil, 100% extra virgin olive oil, walnuts (instead of pine nuts, walnuts are less expensive), fresh garlic, freshly grated romano cheese and sea salt, and I freeze it instead of can it. What is the reason you use pink himalayan salt? Is there something unique about it?

Thanks for the info on Fava beans, I will try them.

 

[[...]]

This is very interesting, I have never had Fava beans before, but I like the fact that they are a food and not a supplement, nothing against supplements but I am hesitant to take something that has been chemically modified.   I use a lot of fresh basil and cilantro myself, just for flavor, but I think that there are probably some good things in herbs, as long as we don't over do them. Thanks for this post, I think I will start researching more about foods and herbs.

 

Cheers,

 

Nicolette

 

Nicolette,

 

I'm a firm believer that eating right, and I mean VERY HEALTHY, as a lifestyle, and not a "diet" is the best way to go as far as just giving our minds and bodies what they need to do what they were meant to do.  Having spent way too much time messing myself up mostly in ignorance, I figure why not dedicate myself to putting good things into my body for a long period of time?

 

It took a very long time to get as bad off as I am today, so I figure it could take a long time to get more healthy, too.  Surely I will not be healthy unless I get of benzos and recover, but since I changed the way I eat, I am finding out that it is making this journey more bearable and could be the "key" to my ultimate success in this very long and painful journey off of benzos.

 

I figure just put as many healthy foods into my body as I can and let my body "decide" which ones it needs to be better off.  So far, in my over two year battle with benzos now, this is what has helped me the most and I just started less than two months ago.  Basil and cilantro are very good for you.  I just recently made a new cold/flu killer recipe for a pesto with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, pink himalayan salt, and basil with a food processor and it was actually very good and can be like a natural antibiotic because it is healthy!  I think that garlic helps kill even a virus!  It's the only food/herb that is known for being able to kill some viruses.  For years and years, people have been saying that you can't kill a virus, but I don't think this is true.  The last time I just recently got the flu, I ate some raw garlic, and my flu went away.  I totally recovered from it and did not have to take an antibiotic.  Everyone else in my family took one and they are still sick!  Good luck with your research...thanks for the comment, and take care...

 

Kian

 

Kian,

 

I really believe in the healing properties of garlic as well. When anyone gets sick with a cold I make chicken noodle soup from scratch and I put fresh garlic and fresh ginger root in it, and it seems to stop a cold unless it's already gone to far.

 

I make my own pesto too. I put fresh basil, 100% extra virgin olive oil, walnuts (instead of pine nuts, walnuts are less expensive), fresh garlic, freshly grated romano cheese and sea salt, and I freeze it instead of can it. What is the reason you use pink himalayan salt? Is there something unique about it?

Thanks for the info on Fava beans, I will try them.

 

 

Nicolette,

 

Wow!  That sounds like the best soup ever made.  Just from this one post you made, I'm curious as to how much more advice you could give us on good foods! lol  Sounds like you are years ahead of me on this already!

 

LOL, I just got the recipe with the pink himalayan salt from the youtube video, lol!!!  I have no idea what is so special about it!  lol  One more thing to research on the internet.  I will let you know what I find out.

 

If you have any other health food "secrets", please share them here!  I am on a total health nut binge!  The price of pine nuts here (they are out of season now and hard to get) is $30 dollars a pound!  I thought walnuts were expensive!  Walnuts have just become the main ingredient in my new pesto.  Thanks for the info.  Like I told desilou, I'm pretty much clueless on all this stuff, but I'm getting really good at searching the internet on these things.  Do you have a favorite healthy meal recipe that you could share?  If not, no worries.

 

Kian

[[Ni...]]

This is very interesting, I have never had Fava beans before, but I like the fact that they are a food and not a supplement, nothing against supplements but I am hesitant to take something that has been chemically modified.   I use a lot of fresh basil and cilantro myself, just for flavor, but I think that there are probably some good things in herbs, as long as we don't over do them. Thanks for this post, I think I will start researching more about foods and herbs.

 

Cheers,

 

Nicolette

 

 

Nicolette,

 

I'm a firm believer that eating right, and I mean VERY HEALTHY, as a lifestyle, and not a "diet" is the best way to go as far as just giving our minds and bodies what they need to do what they were meant to do.  Having spent way too much time messing myself up mostly in ignorance, I figure why not dedicate myself to putting good things into my body for a long period of time?

 

It took a very long time to get as bad off as I am today, so I figure it could take a long time to get more healthy, too.  Surely I will not be healthy unless I get of benzos and recover, but since I changed the way I eat, I am finding out that it is making this journey more bearable and could be the "key" to my ultimate success in this very long and painful journey off of benzos.

 

I figure just put as many healthy foods into my body as I can and let my body "decide" which ones it needs to be better off.  So far, in my over two year battle with benzos now, this is what has helped me the most and I just started less than two months ago.  Basil and cilantro are very good for you.  I just recently made a new cold/flu killer recipe for a pesto with garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, pink himalayan salt, and basil with a food processor and it was actually very good and can be like a natural antibiotic because it is healthy!  I think that garlic helps kill even a virus!  It's the only food/herb that is known for being able to kill some viruses.  For years and years, people have been saying that you can't kill a virus, but I don't think this is true.  The last time I just recently got the flu, I ate some raw garlic, and my flu went away.  I totally recovered from it and did not have to take an antibiotic.  Everyone else in my family took one and they are still sick!  Good luck with your research...thanks for the comment, and take care...

 

Kian

 

Kian,

 

I really believe in the healing properties of garlic as well. When anyone gets sick with a cold I make chicken noodle soup from scratch and I put fresh garlic and fresh ginger root in it, and it seems to stop a cold unless it's already gone to far.

 

I make my own pesto too. I put fresh basil, 100% extra virgin olive oil, walnuts (instead of pine nuts, walnuts are less expensive), fresh garlic, freshly grated romano cheese and sea salt, and I freeze it instead of can it. What is the reason you use pink himalayan salt? Is there something unique about it?

Thanks for the info on Fava beans, I will try them.

 

 

Nicolette,

 

Wow!  That sounds like the best soup ever made.  Just from this one post you made, I'm curious as to how much more advice you could give us on good foods! lol  Sounds like you are years ahead of me on this already!

 

LOL, I just got the recipe with the pink himalayan salt from the youtube video, lol!!!  I have no idea what is so special about it!  lol   One more thing to research on the internet.  I will let you know what I find out.

 

If you have any other health food "secrets", please share them here!  I am on a total health nut binge!  The price of pine nuts here (they are out of season now and hard to get) is $30 dollars a pound!  I thought walnuts were expensive!  Walnuts have just become the main ingredient in my new pesto.  Thanks for the info.  Like I told desilou, I'm pretty much clueless on all this stuff, but I'm getting really good at searching the internet on these things.  Do you have a favorite healthy meal recipe that you could share?  If not, no worries.

 

Kian

 

Hi Kian,

 

Yes, walnuts are way cheaper than pine nuts and I really can't tell much difference. I also grow my own basil on my balcony.

 

My chicken soup recipe is:

 

whole chicken (boiled, use the broth, skim part of fat off top)

frozen egg noodles (this makes a huge difference as opposed to dry noodles)

carrots

fresh garlic

fresh ginger root

chicken boullion or rue

fresh parsley

 

It is really health and I make it a lot in the winter.

 

When I was at the store a little while ago, I bout Fava beans. They are really strange looking, but I thought I'd give them a try. Thanks for sharing your info!

 

Nicolette

 

 

 

[[re...]]

You may want to google fava beans. Some people can have a fatal reaction to them. Not to scare anyone, but you should know what you are eating.

[[Ni...]]

Okay, I'll google Fava beans, but I bought them at the store, I would think that if some people can have a fatal reaction to them, it must be an allergy.

 

I will post a link if I see something relevant.

[[...]]

You may want to google fava beans. Some people can have a fatal reaction to them. Not to scare anyone, but you should know what you are eating.

 

No doubt possible allergies apply to all foods.  I just looked it up.  It's extremely rare.  I'm sure fava beans are healthier than what 99 % of the world's population is eating on a regular basis today.  It is up to each individual to research what they put in their body.  It's not my responsibility.

 

Here is a link to a list of the world's top ten food allergies that the majority of people eat these foods every day.  Fava beans is not on the list.

 

http://www.catalogs.com/info/bestof/top-10-common-food-allergies

 

Kian

[[Ni...]]

Yes, I just looked Fava beans up, I think it's probably an extremely rare reaction-- and if it wasn't, we'd hear about it like peanut allergies.

 

I've got some boiling now, I'm going to put fresh garlic and butter in them and see what I think. (I've been boiling them for 3 hours, I wonder how long they take )

[[...]]

Yes, I just looked Fava beans up, I think it's probably an extremely rare reaction-- and if it wasn't, we'd hear about it like peanut allergies.

 

I've got some boiling now, I'm going to put fresh garlic and butter in them and see what I think. (I've been boiling them for 3 hours, I wonder how long they take )

 

I just buy the canned organic and heat them up.    I don't recall what the reason was, but it is advised that fava beans are not eaten in large quantities and in high frequency.  I think it may have something to do with their low metabolism rate due to the high fiber/starch content and the fact that beans are considered to be the healthiest form of carb we can eat because they turn the carb into sugar VERY VERY slowly...

 

Kian

[[Ni...]]

Yes, I just looked Fava beans up, I think it's probably an extremely rare reaction-- and if it wasn't, we'd hear about it like peanut allergies.

 

I've got some boiling now, I'm going to put fresh garlic and butter in them and see what I think. (I've been boiling them for 3 hours, I wonder how long they take )

 

I just buy the canned organic and heat them up.    I don't recall what the reason was, but it is advised that fava beans are not eaten in large quantities and in high frequency.  I think it may have something to do with their low metabolism rate due to the high fiber/starch content and the fact that beans are considered to be the healthiest form of carb we can eat because they turn the carb into sugar VERY VERY slowly...

 

Kian

 

It's probably due to Fava beans being very high fiber that you shouldn't eat a huge quantity when they are first introduce to your system--as your system needs time to adjust to high fiber. Any time I have gone from processed foods to whole foods there is an adjustment. I'm guessing that one of the reasons they might be good for depression and general overall well-being is because the carb turns into sugar very, very slowly.

Thanks for that info.

 

Most of the world lives on some sort of bean for their protein, as they don't get meat everyday, so, overall, I think beans must be very healthy for your body.

[[...]]

Yes, I just looked Fava beans up, I think it's probably an extremely rare reaction-- and if it wasn't, we'd hear about it like peanut allergies.

 

I've got some boiling now, I'm going to put fresh garlic and butter in them and see what I think. (I've been boiling them for 3 hours, I wonder how long they take )

 

I just buy the canned organic and heat them up.    I don't recall what the reason was, but it is advised that fava beans are not eaten in large quantities and in high frequency.  I think it may have something to do with their low metabolism rate due to the high fiber/starch content and the fact that beans are considered to be the healthiest form of carb we can eat because they turn the carb into sugar VERY VERY slowly...

 

Kian

 

It's probably due to Fava beans being very high fiber that you shouldn't eat a huge quantity when they are first introduce to your system--as your system needs time to adjust to high fiber. Any time I have gone from processed foods to whole foods there is an adjustment. I'm guessing that one of the reasons they might be good for depression and general overall well-being is because the carb turns into sugar very, very slowly.

Thanks for that info.

 

Most of the world lives on some sort of bean for their protein, as they don't get meat everyday, so, overall, I think beans must be very healthy for your body.

 

I agree, they are strange looking and not real flavorful.  That is why I put in the other ingredients as well.  Okay!  I think I done beat the fava bean horse to death!  LOL!

 

Kian

[[Ni...]]

LOL

[[re...]]

Its not an allergy:

the occasional consumer of fava beans would grow ill, turn yellow, and develop blood-colored urine. In children, the result often was death.

 

...during the 1950s, some American doctors, including Dr. Beutler, discovered that the explanation was genetic: These victims were deficient in an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. A certain percentage of people deficient in that enzyme are unable to process fava-bean toxins, which begin destroying red blood cells.

This was a medical rarity - a genetic condition, passed from mother to child. ...this danger is well-known enough in the Mediterranean - where fava beans long have been a dietary staple, and where the genetic mutation is more common than in the U.S. - that in some regions of Italy physicians test children for the enzyme deficiency..

 

its a genetic thing.

[[...]]

Its not an allergy:

the occasional consumer of fava beans would grow ill, turn yellow, and develop blood-colored urine. In children, the result often was death.

 

...during the 1950s, some American doctors, including Dr. Beutler, discovered that the explanation was genetic: These victims were deficient in an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. A certain percentage of people deficient in that enzyme are unable to process fava-bean toxins, which begin destroying red blood cells.

This was a medical rarity - a genetic condition, passed from mother to child. ...this danger is well-known enough in the Mediterranean - where fava beans long have been a dietary staple, and where the genetic mutation is more common than in the U.S. - that in some regions of Italy physicians test children for the enzyme deficiency..

 

its a genetic thing.

 

RFB,

 

Thanks for bringing this in the open here.  Is this something that happens right away after the first time you eat it, or is it like a "condition" that develops over time?  You got me worried now.

 

Kian

[[Ni...]]

That makes sense that a bad reaction to Fava beans is genetic if it's common in certain regions. There are many diseases that have been linked to genetic predispositions such as Tay-Sachs and sickle-cell anemia. Thanks for bringing that up, recovering.  

[[Ni...]]

Also, as Kian says, what kinds of symptoms would you have, and would you know it fairly soon?

[[re...]]

I dont know.

Someone told me years ago to not eat fava beans as they could be dangerous. I eat other beans and avoid the fava. I don't mean to scare anyone, but people should know that they could be harmful. A rare thing, I am sure, but still.... if you are the one who has it, that is a bummer. Dont mean to add more fuel to our already anxious brains.

 

 

[[Ni...]]

That's okay recover, it's always good to get a heads up.

[[Ka...]]

Hi,

 

It's nice to see this topic.  I read about and researched fava beans about 10 years ago, and found the pros and cons very interesting.  Where I live, these beans are not  seen often, and since I head read of possible negative side-effects in susceptible individuals, guess I sort of side-tracked them.  I do however buy them now and then, because I like them; in fact I have one can left of fava beans in  the pantry.

 

 

Kat

[[re...]]

Kat

Glad you can eat them. Probably most people can.

I see you have worked hard to ditch the benzos!  CONGRATS!!!  I am thrilled for you.