Two Sides of the Same Coin: The Impact of Grain Legumes on Human Health: Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a Case Study

Abstract

Data from Food and Agriculture Organization indicate the worrying scenario of severe food insecurity in the world and the contrasting high prevalence of obesity (13% of the world adult population) in both developing and developed countries. Sustainable agriculture systems with increased inclusion of grain legume species and the boosting of public awareness about legume importance on diet should be a priority issue to eradicate malnutrition and promote public health. However, grain legume production and consumption are in constant state of decline, especially in the European Union. Assigned as the "poor man's meat", "promoters of flatulence", or incorrectly classified as "starchy foods", grain legumes have a negative image in modern societies. In fact, legumes represent an important source of protein, fiber, vitamins (e.g. folate) and minerals (e.g. magnesium). Moreover, legumes are rich in bioactive compounds (e.g. phenolic compounds, protease and α-amylase inhibitors) acting as a "double-edged sword" in human health. They may impair nutrients availability exerting at the same time beneficial biological activities in lipid profile, inflammation, glycaemia and weight. The present chapter is focused on the advantages of a legume-rich diet for health promotion at a global scale, reviewing legume nutritional and bioactive compounds, with particular emphasis on common bean.

Legume Breeding for the Agroecological Transition of Global Agri-Food Systems: A European Perspective

“…Moreover, taste, aroma, and appearance are significantly associated with specific metabolites content in foods ( Liem and Russell, 2019 ; Mecha et al, 2022 ) that might also influence their final nutritional and health benefits, which are aspects with increasing importance on consumers’ choices. An example is the antioxidant phenolic compounds content in food legumes ( Mecha et al, 2019 ). Sensory analysis cannot be attained unless pulses are cooked.…”

Portuguese Common Bean Natural Variation Helps to Clarify the Genetic Architecture of the Legume’s Nutritional Composition and Protein Quality

“…It is one of the most important food legumes cultivated and consumed worldwide [ 3 ], being a staple food in Eastern Africa and Latin America [ 4 ], and a component of the Mediterranean diet [ 5 ]. Consequently, bean is an important crop to fight malnourishment, particularly protein malnutrition [ 3 ], as well as an important food for the prevention of a variety of non-communicable diseases due to its diversity of health-promoting compounds, such as resistant starch and dietary fiber (reviewed in [ 6 ]). In addition to its nutritive composition, common bean can be consumed in a variety of culinary forms and specific high-quality landraces can attract high market prices (gourmet foods) [ 7 ].…”

“…In particular, legumes possess bioactive compounds which can act simultaneously as health-promoting compounds and anti-nutritional factors, impairing nutrients’ bioavailability, and influencing both taste and consumers’ food acceptability [ 10 ]. Protease inhibitors are among these bioactive compounds, as they are anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic compounds, and simultaneously interfere with digestion through the irreversible inhibition of trypsin and chymotrypsin (reviewed in [ 6 ]). Trypsin inhibitors interfere for instance with protein digestibility, reducing protein quality, a nutritional quality-related trait that has gained importance in recent years [ 11 ].…”

Prediction of Biometric Variables Through Multispectral Images Obtained From Uav in Beans (<em>Phaseolus vulgaris L.</em>) During Ripening Stage

“…It is widely cultivated for its enormous genetic diversity, it is a nitrogen-fixing plant, highly adaptable and productive in a wide range of environments [2,3]. This crop will likely play a key role in guaranteeing food security for millions of people around the world in the near future [4]. In Peru in 2019, a total of 73,298 ha of beans were cultivated, representing 0.8% of the Gross Value of Agricultural Production (GVaP) [5].…”