abstract
- © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2019.Legumes contain diverse nutrients and phytochemicals that help the biological system to counteract oxidative stress. Phytochemicals such as tannins and flavonoids have proved to be very effective antioxidants. Conjugated forms of these antioxidants change due to legume processing. Since boiling has been one of the most traditional ways of legume processing, some phytochemicals may leach into cooking water or be altered due to heating. Therefore, legumes have been used as a raw material for the production of antioxidant extracts with proven beneficial effects tested in vitro and in vivo. Proteins and fiber also modulate oxidative stress, due to the release of bioactive peptides or the changes exerted by gut microbiota. One of the most interesting future trends in legume consumption is the germination process that may be designed to enhance the production of bioactive metabolites or modify the protein and peptide profile. Additionally, this process is very helpful to reduce the strong beany flavor of legumes and increase their use as a functional ingredient in foods.