Minor components of pulses and their potential impact on human health

Pulses contain a number of bioactive substances including enzyme inhibitors, lectins, phytates, oligosaccharides, and phenolic compounds. Enzyme inhibitors can diminish protein digestibility, and lectins can reduce nutrient absorption, but both have little effect after cooking. Phytic acid can diminish mineral bioavailability. Some phenolic compounds can reduce protein digestibility and mineral bioavailability, and galactooligosaccharides may cause flatulence. On the other hand, these same compounds may have protective effects. Phytic acid exhibits antioxidant activity and protects DNA damage, phenolic compounds have antioxidant and other important physiological and biological properties, and galactooligosaccharides may elicit prebiotic activity. These compounds can have complementary and overlapping mechanisms of action, including modulation of detoxifying enzymes, stimulation of the immune system, regulation of lipid and hormone metabolism, antioxidant, antimutagen, and antiangiogenic effects, reduction of tumor initiation, and promotion and induction of apoptosis. Secondary metabolites are considerated antinutrients, simultaneously conferring health benefits, so these secondary metabolites are currently marketed as functional foods and nutraceuticals ingredients.