Dietary fibre has been shown to have important health implications in the prevention of risks of chronic diseases. The objective of the present study was to determine the potential health benefits of legumes as a good source of dietary fibre. Six to ten local legumes were studied as follows: cowpeas, mung beans, pole sitao, chickpeas, green peas, groundnuts, pigeon peas, kidney beans, lima beans and soyabeans. The following studies were conducted: (a) mineral availability, in vitro; (b) glycaemic index (GI) in non-diabetic and diabetic human subjects; (c) the cholesterollowering effect in human subjects with moderately raised serum cholesterol levels. The highest Fe availability among legumes was for lima beans (9·5 (SEM 0·1)) while for Zn and Ca, the highest availability was for kidney beans (49·3 (SEM 4·5)) and pigeon peas (75·1 (SEM 7·1)), respectively. Groundnuts have the lowest Fe (1·3 (SEM 1·1)), Zn (7·9 (SEM 1·3)) and Ca (14·6 (SEM 2·8)) availability. Legumes are low-GI foods (, 55), ranging from 6 (chickpeas) to 13 (mung beans). Kidney beans showed significant reductions for both total (6 %) and LDL-cholesterol (9 %), and groundnuts for total cholesterol (7 %; P,0·05). We conclude that mineral availability from legumes differs and may be attributed to their mineral content, mineral -mineral interaction and from their phytic and tannic acid content; legumes are considered low-GI foods and have shown potential hypocholesterolaemic effects. The above studies can be a scientific basis for considering legumes as functional foods.

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Brown rice is a good source of dietary fibre (DF) and contains higher vitamins/minerals than milled rice. The study determined the effect of amylose content (AC) and DF on glucose response (GR) from different varieties of milled and brown rice. Milled and brown rice were used as test foods. They were fed to 9-10 human volunteers containing 50 g available carbohydrate after an overnight fast. GR and the glycemic index (GI) were determined. Results found that Sinandomeng with the lowest AC had a high GI = 75, while PSBRc10 with the highest AC had a low GI = 50. Sinandomeng with a low DF had GI = 75, while its brown rice had GI = 55. Brown rice (IR64) with 23% AC and DF of 2.5 g/100 g had low GI = 51. In conclusion, the GR and GI of the different varieties of cooked milled and brown rice varied depending on its AC and DF contents.

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Background: Zingiberofficinale and Curcuma longa are rhizomes used as traditional medicine for gastrointestinal illnesses, motion sickness and inflammatory diseases. However, there is scarcity of data regarding its nutritional composition and functions. Objective:To characterize Zingiberofficinale and Curcuma longa as potential functional food/ ingredients Materials and Methods: Zingiberofficinale and Curcuma longa were analyzed for proximate composition, minerals, dietary fiber and phytonutrients. Mineral availability and fermentability in vitro, and antioxidant activity was also determined. Results: Curcuma longa has greater ash, fat, protein, carbohydrates and dietary fiber while Zingiberofficinale has greater moisture and ß-carotene. Both samples were good sources of dietary fiber and when fermented in vitro, the only short chain fatty acid produced was propionate. Zingiberofficinale has significantly greater iron and calcium content.The availability of zinc (11.9±0.4%) and calcium (56.9±4.7%) for absorption was significantly higher in Curcuma longa but not iron (1.7±0.1%; P<0.05). Iron availability was significantly greater in Zingiber officinal (21.5±3.3%). Curcuma longa has significantly greater total polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanidins and anti-oxidant activity. Conclusion: Zingiberoficinale and Curcoma longa are potential functional food/ingredients Food supplementation with Zingiberofficinale and Curcumin longa may be considered as a novel nutritional approach to reduce chronic diseases and mineral deficiency.