Leu-M

Glycemic index: overview of implications in health and disease : Is the glycemic index important in human nutrition?

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important pulse crop grown and consumed all over the world, especially in the Afro-Asian countries. It is a good source of carbohydrates and protein, and protein quality is considered to be better than other pulses. Chickpea has significant amounts of all the essential amino acids except sulphur-containing amino acids, which can be complemented by adding cereals to the daily diet. Starch is the major storage carbohydrate followed by dietary fibre, oligosaccharides and simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose. Although lipids are present in low amounts, chickpea is rich in nutritionally important unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acids. β-Sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol are important sterols present in chickpea oil. Ca, Mg, P and, especially, K are also present in chickpea seeds. Chickpea is a good source of important vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate and the vitamin A precursor β-carotene. As with other pulses, chickpea seeds also contain anti-nutritional factors which can be reduced or eliminated by different cooking techniques. Chickpea has several potential health benefits, and, in combination with other pulses and cereals, it could have beneficial effects on some of the important human diseases such as CVD, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases and some cancers. Overall, chickpea is an important pulse crop with a diverse array of potential nutritional and health benefits.

http://exploreit.icrisat.org/sites/default/files/uploads/1378788243_BJN_Chickpea_Paper_Gaur_etal._2012_Review.pdf

Nutritional quality and health benefits of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): a review.

Antioxidant and free radical-scavenging activities of chickpea protein hydrolysate (CPH)

Food-derived peptidic antioxidants: A review of their production, assessment, and potential applications

The link between carbohydrate intake and health is becoming increasingly important for consumers, particularly in the areas of glycemic index (GI) and extended energy-releasing starches. From a physiological point of view, slowly digestible starch (SDS) delivers a slow and sustained release of blood glucose along with the benefits resulting from low glycemic and insulinemic response. SDS has been implicated in several health problems, including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases (metabolic syndromes). It may also have commercial potential as a novel functional ingredient in a variety of fields, such as nutrition, medicine, and agriculture. The present review assesses this form of digestion by analyzing methods to prepare and evaluate SDS, and factors affecting its transformation, its health benefits, and its applications.

Bo Jiang

Papers

Antioxidant and free radical-scavenging activities of chickpea protein hydrolysate (CPH)

Slowly Digestible Starch—A Review

Purification and characterisation of a new antioxidant peptide from chickpea (Cicer arietium L.) protein hydrolysates.

Fibrinolytic enzymes in Asian traditional fermented foods

Structure and physicochemical properties of octenyl succinic esters of sugary maize soluble starch and waxy maize starch.