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Serious Eats: Talk

Favism?

Posted by renzata, April 16, 2008

So I bought fava beans for the first time ever, almost 2 lbs. And I was innocuously looking on epicurious to find a recipe, even though I thought I knew what I'd do with them (braise with some radishes). Found a little footnote at the very end of a recipe:

"Be aware that fava beans can cause a potentially fatal food intolerance in some people of Mediterranean, African, and Pacific Rim descent."

Anyone heard of this? A quick google shows that it is, indeed, true.

I've never eaten favas and am part Spanish. My husband is southern French w/ some Spanish , don't think he's ever eaten favas.

I guess I'll throw them out, which sucks (I hate, hate, hate throwing out food), but am I totally overreacting? I never heard of this before, and certainly never saw any mention in any of my cookbooks, but there it is.

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