Faba Beans as a Sustainable Source of Protein

Abstract The growing demand for plant-based proteins and growing consumer awareness of the medicinal and health advantages of alternative proteins have prompted the nutrition and food industries to explore novel sources of protein. Faba beans represent a nutrient dense source of protein with low fat content with concomitant benefit of having low cost, accessibility, and environmentally sustainable and confer several health benefits. The presence of many antinutritional compounds in raw faba beans limits their applicability in a variety of culinary applications. Another limiting factor is the “beany flavor” commonly encountered in products derived from faba beans. Several processing techniques such as boiling, germination, and enzymatic treatment can easily be applied at domestic and industrial levels to lower certain allergens’ concentrations to enhance the applicability of faba bean in distinct food systems and guaranteeing consumer safety. However, careful consideration must be taken into account to minimize the loss of valuable nutrients such as minerals and vitamins during processing. It is anticipated that more research in this field will close the information gap regarding the nutritional and health benefits of faba bean seeds and expand their use in many different types of applications. Information © The Author 2024