Abstract

REVIEW ON NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH PERSPECTIVES OF DRY BEANS: A LEADING NUTRACEUTICAL SOURCE

Akansha, Kriti Sharma and Ekta Singh Chauhan*

Abstract

Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are the most important food legumes for intake by human beings all over the world. The nutrient composition and physiochemical characteristics of dry beans make them preferably suitable to meet two major dietary recommendations to maintain a good health – increase in consumption of starches and complex carbohydrates and decrease in fat intake. Dry beans provide protein, complex carbohydrate, fibre, essential vitamins and minerals in the diet, yet are lower in fat and have no cholesterol. Both protective and therapeutic effects have been recognized. The anti-nutritional effects of dry beans, while minor, are of interest to nutrition professionals. Dry beans excellently enhance the dietary fibre intake. Inclusion of dry beans in health promoting diet is important particularly to meet the major dietary recommendations to decrease the risk for chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.

Keywords: Beans, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity.