## 3 Nutritional, Anti-Nutritional and Health Beneficial Constituents of Lima Beans
Elimination or deactivation of ANFs will enhance the nutritional quality of lima beans and increase their acceptance and application as a valuable food [48]. Most of these ANFs can be reduced or removed completely by using different processing methods such as fermentation, dehulling, cooking and soaking. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c} \hline
**Sodium** & **Magnesium** & **Potassium** & **Calcium** & **Phosphorus** & **Iron** & **Manganese** & **Copper** & **Zinc** & **Reference** \\ \hline
110.22 & 312.12 & 986.90 & 225.10 & 295.28 & 8.70 & NR & NR & 4.50 & [PERSON] et al. [16] \\ NR & 189.93 & 38.21 & 110.04 & 74.95 & 10.19 & NR & NR & NR & [PERSON] et al. [77] \\ NR & 266.83 & 1881.70 & 156.76 & NR & 11.98 & NR & NR & 4.18 & [PERSON] et al. [5] \\
182.4 & 261.5 & 817.4 & 156.76 & NR & 13.98 & NR & NR & 4.18 & \\
182.4 & 261.5 & 817.4 & 156.3 & 13.98 & 3.26 & 1.00 & 4.18 & [PERSON], and [PERSON] [46] \\
7.538-0873 & 3015-07.13 & 7.53-560.80 & 11.15-20.14 & 11.50-17.20 & 11.30-18.17 & 0.13-018 & 0.26-08.82 & 2.24-31.33 & [PERSON] et al. [77] \\
53.87 & 268.04 & 1373.29 & 304.73 & 385.63 & 18.54 & 1.07 & 1.74 & 4.17 & [PERSON] [48] \\ NR & NR & NR & NR & NR & 6.7-7.5 & NR & NR & NR & [PERSON] [50] \\
40-50 & NR & 140-300 & 200-380 & 260-340 & 2-4 & NR & NR & NR & [PERSON] et al. [52] \\ NR & NR & NR & NR & NR & 803-850.50 & 85.64-87.38 & NR & 12.17-13.73 & 4.17-18 & [PERSON] [54] \\
3980 & 7019.99 & 4920 & 3910 & 4800 & NR & NR & NR & [PERSON] [56] \\
199-921.33 & NR & 500.4-52.08 & NR & 154.98-172.77 & 2.45-26.77 & NR & NR & NR & [PERSON] et al. [57] \\
27 & 123.10 & 1295.13 & 326.46 & 153.36 & 5.40 & 2.63 & 4.30 & 2.64 & [PERSON] et al. [58] \\
285.10 & 148.75 & 390.65 & 47.15 & 486.28 & 4.71 & 6.83 & 4.62 & 2.62 & [PERSON] and [PERSON] [59] \\
56.66-06 & 198.9-87.27 & 32.39-57.03 & 68.67-81.15 & 430.108 & 9.61-22.18 & NR & 5.91-9.47 & [PERSON] and [PERSON] [6] \\
14.74 & 137.13 & 1425.90 & 101.11 & 503.97 & 11.75 & NR & 2.78 & 4.97 & [PERSON] et al. [63] \\
248.31 & NR & 212.24 & 310.22 & NR & 234.01 & 170.35 & NR & [PERSON] et al. [64] \\
195.93-33.34 & 115.46-138.76 & 99043-13575.48 & 86.40-100.47 & NR & 4.12-47.5 & NR & 1.93-2.05 & [PERSON] et al. [55] \\
73.62 & 195.33 & 136.76 & 234.72 & 184.29 & 3.24 & NR & NR & 1.93-2.05 & [PERSON] and [PERSON] [76] \\
0.63 & 02.66 & 0.69 & 0.52 & 0.98 & 0.02 & ND & 12.17-13.74 & 0.19 & [PERSON] [7] \\
9.5 & 115.5 & 1629.6 & 351.7 & 579.6 & 6.1 & NR & NR & 1.06 & [PERSON] et al. [78] \\ \hline \end{tabular} ND-not detected; NR-not reported.  
\end{table} 
Table 3: Mineral composition (mg/100 g) of lima beans reported in literature. The nutritional composition of dry beans such as lima beans can provide health benefits in a way that few other foods can match [80]. Lima beans can be used to maintain the function of the digestive system, including in diverticulosis and irritable bowel syndrome [87]. It also contains insoluble fiber, which prevents constipation and improves stool bulk. Lima beans have also been reported to promote cardiovascular health, control blood sugar levels due to its low glycemic index, manage blood glucose and reduce cholesterol, as it is rich in fibre [61; 88; 89]. According to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [46], lima beans are reported to contain trace amounts of isoflavones (daidzein and genisten) which can assist in preventing breast and colon cancer. Studies have also shown that lima bean seeds have lunatusin (a 7 kDa peptide) which has shown inhibited proliferation in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 [90]; lectins in lima beans have also been described to have anticancer activities [9]. Lima beans also help to replenish iron stores [54]. This can be beneficial to children, adolescents and women, especially during a menstrual period, when many women are iron deficient. A diet high in lima beans can assist with menstrual iron deficiency, as iron is an integral element of hemoglobin, as well as a part of the main enzyme system for energy metabolism and production [54].