Mucuna beans (Mucuna pruriens) are legumes that grow wild and are cultivated mainly in tropical regions. These beans have long been used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and African traditional medicine, and their health benefits are widely known. Of particular note is the component L-dopa , which is abundant in Mucuna beans . L-dopa is converted into the neurotransmitter dopamine in the body and supports brain function. Due to this characteristic, it is considered important in the field of treating and preventing Parkinson's disease. Mucuna beans have been used for a long time all over the world, and in Japan they are also known as "hassho beans". This name comes from the fact that they grow so vigorously that one bean can be expected to produce a harvest of 8 sho. Since they are mentioned in books from the early Edo period, they are thought to have been introduced to Japan around that time. However, their use declined for a time due to the difficulty of cooking them. In recent years, the L-dopa contained in Mucuna beans has attracted attention, and with the growing health consciousness, it has once again been brought into the spotlight as a "superfood."