Faba Bean: An Untapped Source of Quality Plant Proteins and Bioactives

Abstract

Faba beans are emerging as sustainable quality plant protein sources, with the potential to help meet the growing global demand for more nutritious and healthy foods. The faba bean, in addition to its high protein content and well-balanced amino acid profile, contains bioactive constituents with health-enhancing properties, including bioactive peptides, phenolic compounds, GABA, and L-DOPA. Faba bean peptides released after gastrointestinal digestion have shown antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, cholesterol-lowering, and anti-inflammatory effects, indicating a strong potential for this legume crop to be used as a functional food to help face the increasing incidences of non-communicable diseases. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current body of knowledge on the nutritional and biofunctional qualities of faba beans, with a particular focus on protein-derived bioactive peptides and how they are affected by food processing. It further covers the adverse health effects of faba beans associated with the presence of anti-nutrients and potential allergens, and it outlines research gaps and needs.

In Vitro Digestion and Colonic Fermentation of UHT Treated Faba Protein Emulsions: Effects of Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Thermal Processing on Proteins and Phenolics

“…Cárdenas-Castro et al [ 84 ] noted similar alterations in the DPPH value in tomatoes during colonic fermentation, and the DPPH value continued to build up after 24 h of fermentation, which is consistent with our results. This trend maintained upward tendency and might result from the existence of other bioactive compounds in faba beans that express antioxidant potential, such as vitamins [ 85 , 86 ]. Furthermore, the rising trends of antioxidant potential (DPPH and ABTS) that existed throughout colonic fermentation were considerably persistent with the improvement in total phenolic content.…”

“…Phenolic acids existing in faba beans are correlated with the in vitro expression of antioxidant capacity [ 87 ]. The modifications in antioxidant activities of faba beans at various stages of fermentation also implied that enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract could not completely neutralize biologically active molecules with antioxidant capacity, thus allowing the bioactive substances to enter the colonic site and release their bioactive effects [ 86 , 88 , 89 ].…”

Genetic and Metabolite Variability among Commercial Varieties and Advanced Lines of Vicia faba L.

“…Many researchers have attempted to create varieties low in saturated fatty acids through modern breeding methods [ 76 , 77 ]. KK18 was found to have the lowest levels of saturated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic) and as a result, it provides the possibility of having the greatest proportion of essential beneficial unsaturated fatty acids (i.e., oleic, linolenic) [ 78 ].…”

Bioactivity of Wild and Cultivated Legumes: Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Properties

“…On the other hand, relative reports on silage-oriented legume crops are relatively scarce considering the number of indigenous legumes found in natural pastures and meadows [ 23 ]. These studies are mainly focusing on the presence and distribution of various phytochemicals in legume foods and feed seeds, with the most celebrated research subject as the assessment of phenolic compounds content, accounting for 3808 studies for more than 125 legume taxa [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. The determination of their tannin and carotenoid content has attracted significantly less attention with, respectively only 2000 and 633 studies [ 31 , 32 , 33 ].…”