CHAPTER 2: Leguminous Seeds as a Source of Phenolic Acids, Condensed Tannins, and Lignans

This chapter presents an overview on the chemistry, biological activity, and content of phenolic acids, condensed tannins, and lignans in leguminous seeds, including various types of beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils, as reported in the current literature. The impact of processing and germination on the content of these phenolic constituents is also discussed. Flavonoids were excluded from this report, because they are discussed in the chapter 3. When comparing the quantitative findings on the content of phenolic constituents from the listed studies, care must be exercised because the data are presented using different bases. In a number of cases, direct comparisons are not possible. Nevertheless, trends pertaining to the content of phenolic acids, condensed tannins and their antioxidant activities in the different legumes and their seed coats are evident.