- Broad Beans have been cultivated extensively for thousands of years and are among the easiest of cropping vegetables to grow due to their general hardiness and resistance to inclement weather. Historically, they formed a major part of the eastern Mediterranean diet from around 2000 BC especially in Syria and Italy. The broad bean is a cool-season annual legume and is usually planted during the months of February and March for vegetable use and from September to November for cover crops. Broad beans are extremely high in soluble fiber, protein and a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Broad beans contain levodopa, madopar, dopar, larodopa. They are used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Broad beans are rich in nutrients. They are a good source of Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Selenium, and many other vitamins. Broad beans can be cooked in boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes in a covered saucepan.