Beans, the variants of Phaseolus vulagris, are nutritionally and economically important food crop in each part of the world. Besides providing nutrients such as multifaceted carbohydrates, elevated proteins, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins, these also contain rich variety of polyphenolic compounds with prospective health benefits. This review mainly focuses the important nutritional aspects of beans as well as their contribution in decreasing the risks of chronically degenerative diseases.

SUMMARYA growing trend for nutraceutical and gluten-free cereal-based products highlights the need for development of new products. Buckwheat is one of the potential candidates for such products and the present paper reviews the functional and nutraceutical compounds present in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) and tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). The vital functional substances in buckwheat are flavonoids, phytosterols, fagopyrins, fagopyritols, phenolic compounds, resistant starch, dietary fibre, lignans, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which make it a highly active biological pseudocereal. Cholesterol-lowering effects that lessen the problems of constipation and obesity are important health benefits that can be achieved through the functional substances of buckwheat.

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Fortification of food and beverages with vitamin D is demanding due to its poor water solubility and oxidation, due to exposure to light and high temperature. The purpose of this research work was to formulate an effective food-grade delivery system for the incorporation of vitamin D into food products and beverages. Food-grade vitamin D nanoemulsions were successfully prepared using mixed surfactant (Tween 80 and soya lecithin) and ultrasonic homogenization techniques. Significant effects (p < 0.05) of temperatures (4 and 25 °C) and storage intervals (1 month) were observed on the turbidity and vitamin D retention. At the end of a 2 month storage, the droplet sizes of the nanoemulsion were 140.15 nm at 4 °C and 155.5 nm at 25 °C. p-Anisidine value of canola oil significantly reduced (p < 0.05) after its incorporation into nanoemulsions. The turbidity values of nanoemulsions increased with the increase in storage duration and temperature. These nanoemulsions remain stable against a wide range of temperatures (30−90 °C), pH values (2−8), ionic strengths (50−400 mM), and freeze−thaw cycles (4 cycles). At the end of 30 days of storage, vitamin D retentions were 74.4 ± 1.2 and 55.3 ± 2.1% in nanoemulsions stored at 4 and 25 °C, respectively. These results suggest that mixed-surfactant-based nanoemulsions are an effective delivery system for the incorporation of vitamin D into food and beverages to overcome the worldwide deficiency of vitamin D.