Broad beans contain two kinds of nucleosides, Vicin and Covesin, and poisoning may occur after eating cooked broad beans or fresh broad beans. Broad bean poisoning mostly occurs 5~24 hours after meals. Symptoms of poisoning include fatigue, dizziness, gastrointestinal discomfort, jaundice, vomiting, low back pain and even hematuria.

Poisoning by eating cooked broad beans in adults is rare, but poisoning in children is very common, especially in children aged 0-3.