Legumes as Preventive Nutraceuticals for Chronic Diseases

Abstract

Due to the increase of inadequate consumption habits, healthy diets are becoming an aspect of good practices. In this context, interest in food composition has expanded beyond nutrients to include bioactive compounds that could prevent many diseases. A balanced diet with varied foods constitutes a good source of various bioactive compounds and components. Legumes bioactive compounds might display a wide extend of useful impact on human health which will contribute to their nutraceuticals properties. In this chapter, we review the diversity of bioactive compounds found in different legumes, such as flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, carotenoids, tannins, lectins, etc. In a preventive approach, we focus on medicinal application and nutraceuticals properties of the diverse legumes bioactive compounds. All data shows that bioactive compounds and components of legumes provide beneficial effects on human health as well as help in the prevention of many chronic diseases, especially cancers, heart diseases, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.