Phaseolus vulgaris L. as a functional food for aging protection

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most consumed legume and the major protein source for poor populations, especially in developing Afro-Asian countries. Common bean has a high nutritional value, being rich in protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Besides these nutrients, common bean is also enriched in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, mainly flavonoids. These compounds reveal important antioxidant activities through their capacity to interfere with oxidative processes and consequently exhibit antiinflammatory activity. Common bean also reveals anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic activities. Accordingly the consumption of common bean has been associated with the prevention and control of several age-related problems, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, and cancer. This chapter focuses on the bioactivities present in common bean grains that make this legume an excellent functional food. Therefore the increase in common bean consumption, in traditional or nutraceutical forms, should be encouraged for improving human health.

This work was financed by Portuguese national funds through Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI), Project 3599, Promover a Produção Científica e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e a Constituic¸ão de Redes Temáticas (3599-PPCDT) and Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016801, by FCT under projects PTDC/AGR-TEC/1140/2014 and by FCT/MCTES/PIDDAC (Portugal) under the projects UID/MULTI/04046/2013, UID/AGR/04033/2013, and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958. The first author also acknowledges the financial support provided by the European Social Funds and the Regional Operational Programme Norte 2020 (operation NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000054) under the doctoral program “Agricultural Production Chains, from fork to farm” (PD/00122/2012).