I don't recall ever eating fava beans. Although the first thing that came to mind was Hannibal Lecter's famous quote from Silence of the Lambs when he said he once ate the liver of a census taker "with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."
I learned that fava beans are also known as broad beans. The Italian word "fava" means "broad bean." It is a species of bean native to north Africa and southwest Asia. They are high in fiber and iron, and low in sodium and fat. They have no cholesterol but so much protein, they are called the meat of the poor. Apparently, Italians credit the fava bean as a factor in saving Sicilians from starvation during a time of famine. Since then, the fava has been considered good luck.
The magic beans that grew overnight into a beanstalk that reached into the clouds were thought to be fava beans. Some believe that fava beans have other enchanting powers, including being a natural alternative to the drug Viagra.
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