# Legumes as Functional Food for Cardiovascular Disease
## 3 Legumes as Functional Food for Cardiovascular Diseases  
Over the last few years, consumption of plant proteins including those from various legumes such as pea, lupin, cowpea, jack bean, mungbean, chickpea, lentils, and soybean had increased due to their numerous associated health benefits [30; 62; 63; 64; 65]. Consumption of legumes was found to be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of various diseases including CVD [30; 62]. Frequent legume ingestion was shown to reduce serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, and TAG levels and increase high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels [62; 66]. Bioactive peptides from storage proteins such as albumins and globulins are responsible for several properties relating to disease prevention including several cardiovascular related conditions [67]. For instance, protein hydrolyses from the common bean showed hypocholesterolem activity by preventing oxidative stress and inflammation in vivo through the regulation of adipocytes. In addition, these black bean protein hydrolyses showed hypoglycemic activity by inhibiting the GLUT2 and SGLT1 glucose transporters [68]. Other legume bioactive components that are beneficial in reducing the risk of CVD are polyphenols. These are naturally occurring substances that vary in structure and are commonly enriched in fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine. Flavonoids are made up most of different polyphenols such as flavones, flavanol, flavonols, and flavononones. Daidzein and genistein, two of the major isoflav from soybeans, showed activity in regulating pancreatic beta cells in organisms with insulin-dependent diabetes. Moreover, ingestion of soy isoflav resulted in increased adenosine monophosphate protein kinase (AMPK) activation which regulates lipid and glucose metabolism [69; 70]. Soybean genistein was also reported to increase endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene transcription and protein synthesis in human vascular endothelial cells which produced protective effects and prevented the occurrence of hypertension [71]. In addition, other phenolic compounds from the common bean lowered lipid levels by inhibiting lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes cells [68]. Saponins from chickpeas were found to inhibit pancreatic lipase [68]. Rats fed with the common bean (_P. vulgaris_ L.) manifested weight loss, improved plasma lipid profiles, and decreased plasma TC and LDL-C without affecting HDL-C and total TAG levels even just after several hours post-feeding [72]. Such rats also showed reduced visceral adiposity and adipocyte size while increasing hepatic carnitine palmitoyl-transferase I (CPT-1), a key enzyme regulating long chain fatty acid oxidation resulting in lowered levels of circulating TAGs [73]. A pulse-rich diet consisting of two daily servings of beans, chickpeas, lentils, or peas fed for two months to more than 100 people who are 50 years of age or above lowered their total cholesterol (TC) by 8.3% and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) by 7.9% and was ascribed to decrease the risk against CVD [74]. In hypercholesterolicamic adults, consumption of a single half-cup serving of _Phaseolus vulgaris_ L. for eight weeks ledto decreased serum LDL-C and TC by 5% and 6%, respectively, reducing coronary heart disease risk by 5-12% [75]. The risk of death is reduced by 8% for every 20 g intake of legumes [76]. Men and women consuming legumes four or more times per week have a lowered risk of coronary heart disease by 22% and CVD by 11% compared to people who consume legumes only once a week [77]. There is only a handful of literature describing how the recipient's genotypic variation influences the cardiovascular benefits of these legumes. [PERSON] et al., (2010) [78] found significant variation in TAG and HDL-C levels associated with the T->C allelic change at position 1131 of the Apolipoprotein A5 (_ApoA5_) gene (ApoA5-1131T->C). ApoA5-overexpressing mice showed 65% reduced plasma TAG concentrations while the ApoA5-knockout mice exhibited approximate four times higher TAG levels [79; 78].