Common Bean As A Functional Food

Abstract

Phaseolus vulgaris.L, cultivated in temperate and semi tropical region. The various types of beans grown are navy beans, kidney beans, red beans, black beans, pinto beans, cranberry beans. It treats eczema, diabetes, burns, acne, cardiac, bladder, carminative, dropsy, emollient, hiccups, itchy, rheumatism. Beans containing diet exerted beneficial effects during experimental colitis by reducing inflammatory biomarkers both locally and systemically. It regulates serum cholesterol, lipid profile, inhibiting the incidence and recurrence of adenomatous polyps or precancerous growth. Polyphenol present in common beans are flavones, monomers, oligomers of flavanols, flavanones, iso-flavanoids, anthocyanins, chlcones. The colour of the seed coat is based on presence of polyphenol including anthocyanins, flavanols, glucosides and condensed tannins. This information paves way to the identification of potential bean varieties and their beneficial roles as a functional food. Many review articles have shown with evidence the effects of common beans as a functional food. Some studies indicates that common bean is rich in protein, CHO, dietary fibres, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and other micronutrient, low saturated fat content, & with enormous qualities of polyphenols play a major role in health promoting effects, and also protecting us against various diseases. It can be said that the health providing effects are directly proportional to the increase in bean intake. The synergetic effect of polyphenol rich common bean with other bioactive compounds on biological function would be a recommendation for further studies.