Potential health benefits of garden pea seeds and pods: A review

Abstract

AbstractPea (Pisum sativum L.) is a nutritious pulse crop belonging to the leguminous family, and widely cultivated. In recent time, health and nutritional benefits of the pea and its by‐products enriched with biomolecules, which have gained significant attention to the researchers and consumers. Peas are known for its pivotal nutritional value with high‐quality proteins, dietary fibres, starch, carbohydrates and micronutrients including vitamins and minerals. It is also enriched with phytochemicals, antioxidants, flavonoids, tannins and other phenolic compounds under non‐nutritional category. Dietary fibre extracted from its cotyledon of the cell wall, seed coats and pods proved to accelerate the gastrointestinal activity by developing intestinal microflora. Intermediate amylose maintains blood glucose level by lowering the glycaemic index and reducing starch digestibility of peas. Pea proteins derived peptides have opportunities in nutraceuticals. Furthermore, pea‐derived non‐α‐galactooligosaccharides could mitigate the gas production by colonic bacteria during the fermentation. Anti‐acetylcholinesterase (anti‐AChE) was also traced in the pea pod with some antioxidant properties. The focus of this review paper is to provide a comprehensive profiling of chemical compositions and bioactives of fresh mature peas (specifically garden or field pea seeds) and by‐products of pea processing (pods and peels) that sets a foundation for assessment of their health benefits.