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Beans and legumes

Cooked fava beans

Per 100 g (3.5 oz), cooked fava beans combine 5.4 g of fiber and 7.6 g of protein with 110 kcal, a low energy density.

USDA description: Fava beans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt

  • High in fiber
  • May cause bloating

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
Low energy density: 110 kcal/100 g+1
Protein: 6.9 g/100 kcal+1
Fiber: 4.9 g/100 kcal+2
Solid food with 71.5 g of water+1
Sum6
Capped at 55

Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.

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Sources
8 primary
Data
USDA FDC 173753

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Nutrition facts

Calories
165 kcal per serving
110 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
11.4 g per serving
7.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
29.4 g per serving
19.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
2.7 g per serving
1.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
8.1 g per serving
5.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
0.6 g per serving
0.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
0.1 g per serving
0.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
107.3 g per serving
71.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central: Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC ID 173753), accessed September 23, 2026.

A typical 150 g (5.5 oz, about 1 cup) serving provides about 165 kcal, 11.4 g of protein, and 8.1 g of fiber.

The typical serving (150 g (5.5 oz, about 1 cup)) is a common amount used for the math, not a recommendation. Ounces and cups are rounded US equivalents; the values come from the database entry cited in the sources.

What it is and how to eat it

The DLE, the Spanish-language dictionary, defines haba as a herbaceous plant whose fruit, a pod, holds five or six oblong, flattened seeds, and also uses haba for that edible fruit and seed; its scientific name is Vicia faba, according to USDA. This page covers dried fava beans, the mature seeds, boiled without salt, with 110 kcal, 7.6 g of protein and 5.4 g of fiber per 100 g according to USDA.

A 150 g (5.3 oz) serving provides 165 kcal, 11.4 g of protein and 8.1 g of fiber. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy lists legumes among the foods to encourage but suggests avoiding very high-fiber foods in the first few days of treatment and, for constipation, increasing fiber gradually. The NIDDK, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, lists legumes among the foods that can cause gas, and the Wegovy (semaglutide) SmPC lists flatulence and abdominal distension among its common adverse reactions, so in those days, and after a dose increase, it is best to start with a few spoonfuls in soup or mashed. With egg or queso fresco, the dish adds more protein.

What the evidence says

With 5.4 g of fiber per 100 g, which is 4.9 g per 100 kcal, they meet the EU condition for a "high fibre" claim (at least 6 g per 100 g or 3 g per 100 kcal); protein supplies 28% of their energy, above the 20% for "high protein", and their 104 µg of folate exceed the 60 µg for "high folate" (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011). According to MedlinePlus, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, in people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a genetic disorder of the red blood cells, eating fava beans or inhaling pollen from the plant can cause hemolytic anemia, a reaction known as favism. The same source estimates that about 400 million people worldwide have this deficiency, which is most frequent in parts of Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and that many never have symptoms or know they have it; if you have been diagnosed with it, talk to your doctor before eating fava beans.

The sources for this section are listed under "Sources" at the end of the page.

Satiety

The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.

What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication

High in fiber
It has at least 3 g of fiber per 100 g. Fiber adds bulk and slows digestion, which contributes to fullness, and it helps keep you regular; constipation is a common side effect of GLP-1 medications. It is usually easier to tolerate when you increase it gradually and drink enough water.
May cause bloating
Beans and other legumes, cruciferous vegetables, onions, and carbonated drinks cause gas in some people. Because GLP-1 medications slow down stomach emptying, that bloated feeling can be more noticeable. This is an editorial judgment: many people tolerate these foods well in moderate servings.

Frequently asked questions about cooked fava beans

How much protein does a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked fava beans have?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked fava beans has 7.6 g of protein. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 11.4 g of protein. That is 6.9 g of protein per 100 kcal.

How many calories are in a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked fava beans?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked fava beans has 110 kcal. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 165 kcal. That is a low energy density.

How many grams of fiber are in a 150 g (5.5 oz) serving of cooked fava beans?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked fava beans has 5.4 g of fiber. A typical 150 g (5.5 oz) serving has about 8.1 g of fiber. They carry our “High in fiber” tag.

How filling are cooked fava beans?

Very filling for the calories they provide: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 1 (low energy density: 110 kcal/100 g) + 1 (protein: 6.9 g/100 kcal) + 2 (fiber: 4.9 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 71.5 g of water) = 6; capped at 5. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

Are cooked fava beans a good choice on a GLP-1 medication?

Based on our tags, this is what matters about cooked fava beans on a GLP-1 medication. “High in fiber”: a good amount of fiber, which helps keep you regular; it is easier to tolerate when you increase it gradually and drink enough water. “May cause bloating”: it can cause gas or bloating in some people, and on a GLP-1 medication that feeling can be more noticeable. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.

How many grams or ounces are in a serving of cooked fava beans?

We use 150 g (5.5 oz) as a typical serving, about 1 cup. That amount provides about 165 kcal, 11.4 g of protein, and 8.1 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.

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Sources

Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.

  1. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC ID 173753).accessed .
  2. InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "haba" (in Spanish).accessed .
  3. Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
  4. InstitutionNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH).Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Gas in the Digestive Tract.accessed .
  5. Drug labelEuropean Medicines Agency.Wegovy (semaglutide): EU Summary of Product Characteristics, section 4.8 (undesirable effects), current version.accessed .
  6. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
  7. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
  8. InstitutionU.S. National Library of Medicine (NIH), MedlinePlus.Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (MedlinePlus Genetics).accessed .