A Review Article on Health Benefits of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus Cajan (L
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Rabia Syed and Ying Wu, IJFNR, 2018;2:15 Review Article IJFNR (2018) 2:15 International Journal of Food and Nutrition Research (ISSN:2572-8784) A review article on health benefits of Pigeon pea Cajanus( cajan (L.) Millsp) Rabia Syed1 and Ying Wu2 1PhD candidate. Graduate Research Assistant. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. College of Agriculture Tennessee State University. 2Ph.D. Associate Professor Food and Animal Science. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. College of Agriculture Tennessee State University. ABSTRACT Pigeon pea is a perennial tropical crop primarily grown in Asia *Correspondence to Author: and Africa, and its seeds are consumed as a rich source of Ying Wu protein and carbohydrates both in fresh and dried forms. It Ph.D. Associate Professor Food has been used as an important part of the folk and traditional and Animal Science. Department medicine in India, China, and South America to prevent and treat of Agricultural and Environmental various human diseases. This crop has been successfully grown in some southeastern Sciences. College of Agriculture states but still considered as a novel pulse here in the US with Tennessee State University. the majority of the work focused on its non-consumable parts like leaves, stems, and roots. Literature studies indicate that pigeon pea has the potential to prevent and treat many human diseases How to cite this article: such as bronchitis, pneumonia, measles, hepatitis, yellow fever, Rabia Syed and Ying Wu.A review ulcers, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer. Nutritionally along article on health benefits of Pigeon with protein and fiber, it has a decent number of health-promoting pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp). phytochemicals. Foremost phytochemicals found in pigeon pea seeds are phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and International Journal of Food and phytic acid. These minor components predominately exhibit Nutrition Research, 2018; 2:15. antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. It is an excellent source of inexpensive plant-based protein. Some studies describe the bioactive role of protein fractions, especially as an antihyperglycemic factor. Seeds are the edible and non- perishable part of this crop with the feasibility of addition in food eSciPub LLC, Houston, TX USA. products. Functional properties of the pigeon pea flour make Website: http://escipub.com/ it a suitable ingredient for food products like bread, pasta, and nutritional bars which can make it a gluten-free substitute for cereals. Keywords: Pigeon pea, protein, fiber, phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phytic acid, antioxidant, antidiabetic IJFNR: http://escipub.com/international-journal-of-food-nutrition-research/ 1 Rabia Syed and Ying Wu, IJFNR, 2018; 2:15 Introduction legume that can tolerate dry weather and poor soil conditions, can grow well on marginal lands, Global food production is encountering and help with soil and water storage (Rao, challenges with growing population, biodiversity, Phillips, Mayeux, & Phatak, 2003). Pigeon pea is water shortage, and climate change. With the grown in tropical and subtropical regions which rise of suburbanization, healthy diets are is tolerant to low and high temperatures (Nene, replaced with highly refined and processed one. Hall, & Sheila, 1990). This crop ranks sixth in the While one possible way to increase and world in dryland legume production (FAO, 2015). conserve food availability is through shifting The National Research Council has diets (Tilman & Clark, 2014). Incorporating a diet recommended that this crop is grown widely in with manifold health benefits is a level approach the United States as it is becoming a new to attain the nutritional needs along with health marketable resource for small farms in the promotion and disease avoidance. There are southeast states. Pigeon pea has been evolving needs for healthy food products with successfully grown in some southeastern state multifold health benefits to meet consumers’ including Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, Texas, budding demands for disease prevention and and Georgia. well-being. Therefore, the use of crops with Pigeon pea is an important component of many multiple bioactive components is getting people’s diet in Asia, Africa and South America increased attention. (Martínez-Villaluengaa, Torresb, Friasa, & Vidal- Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp) is a Valverde, 2010). It has been used to achieve the perennial crop of sub-tropical and tropical needs of food, forage, feed, and therapeutics. regions, originated in the northern region of Conventional consumption of seed is as a green Indian sub-continent. It is also known as red vegetable and dry pulse, but young green pods, gram, congo pea, gungo pea, and no-eye pea shoots, and leaves are also edible. Bioactive which belongs to the family of Leguminosae (Wu components in pulse seeds are getting et al., 2009). The slave trade was a source of increased attention in recent years. Some taking it to Africa and South America. It is review papers summarized major bioactive cultivated in 22 countries worldwide (FAO, constituents including proteins (Boye, Zare, & 2008), but only a few countries with major Pletch, 2010), dietary fiber (Tosh & Yada, 2010), productions. India, Myanmar, and Nepal are the and the minor bioactive constituents (Campos- foremost producers in Asia with India leading in Vega, Oomah, Loarca-Piña, & Vergara- the worldwide production of 2,584,007 tons as of Castañeda, 2013). Different parts of the pigeon 2014 (FAO, 2015). Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, pea have been used as an important part of the Mozambique, and Tanzania are the primary folk and traditional medicine in India, China, and producers of pigeon pea in Africa. Some South South America (Morton, 1976). Research American countries like Brazil and the studies demonstrate that Pigeon pea has Caribbean islands also have equitable areas for potential to prevent and treat many human its production. Average of production share from diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, 2000 to 2015 in these three continents is, Asia measles, hepatitis, menstrual disorders, sores, 84.5%, Africa 13.4%, and Americas 2% (FAO, yellow fever, ulcers, body aches, and certain 2015). In the US, researchers at the University forms of cancer (Saxena, Kumar, & Sultana, of Hawaii were among the earliest promoters in 2010). Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) the state with a long tradition of cultivation has revealed strong biological and (Valenzuela & Smith, 2002). Pigeon pea is one pharmacological activities including anti- of the crops that can produce more nitrogen per diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant unit of plant biomass than activities ( Wu et al. , 2009) . Disease prevention most other legumes (Onim, 1987). It is valuable IJFNR: http://escipub.com/international-journal-of-food-nutrition-research/ 2 Rabia Syed and Ying Wu, IJFNR, 2018; 2:15 and health advancement and can be attained by components, the feasibility of its application in the introduction of this emerging crop in food food systems, and the health effects of applications. These goals can be achieved by preventing inflammation and promoting fully understating the chemical, physical and gastrointestinal health can fill these gaps. biological properties of bioactive components in Nutritional quality in pigeon pea seeds Pigeon pea and their health-promoting effect Nutritionally Pigeon pea is a good source of after integrating into food. protein, fiber, and minerals (Table 1) making it a In the United States, very few studies about good candidate for the production of protein and health-promoting effects through an increased fiber-fortified foods. It is reported that fortified dietary consumption of Pigeon pea are food is a major contributor to nutrient intakes in available. The knowledge on chemical, physical, the diets of US children and adolescents. functional properties of its major bioactive Table 1. Distribution of Nutrients in Mature Seed of Pigeon Pea Nutrient (g /100 g) Mature Seed Protein 21.7 Carbohydrates 62.78 Total dietary fiber 15 Total lipid 1.49 Minerals (mg / 100 g) Calcium, Ca 130 Iron, Fe 5.23 Magnesium, Mg 183 Phosphorus, P 367 Potassium, K 1392 Sodium, Na 17 Zinc, Zn 2.76 Vitamins (mg / 100 g) Vitamin C 0 Thiamin 0.643 Riboflavin 0.187 Niacin 2.965 Vitamin B-6 0.283 Amino acids (g /100 g) Tryptophan 0.212 Threonine 0.767 Isoleucine 0.785 Leucine 1.549 Lysine 1.521 Methionine 0.243 Cystine 0.25 Phenylalanine 1.858 Tyrosine 0.538 Source: USDA (2016) IJFNR: http://escipub.com/international-journal-of-food-nutrition-research/ 3 Rabia Syed and Ying Wu, IJFNR, 2018; 2:15 Protein in Pigeon pea health claim for soy protein and its role in Majority of the protein found within pulse seeds reducing levels of LDL and HDL/total cholesterol is in the form of storage proteins classified as and thus the risk of coronary heart disease globulins, albumins, and glutelins (Roy et al., (FDA, 1999). Research on Pigeon Pea protein, 2010). Globulins make up about 65% of the total derived from leaves, suggests that its protein protein in pigeon pea (Singh & Jambunathan, show both preventive and therapeutic activity 1982). Globulins are soluble in salt-water against chloroform-induced hepatotoxicity, solutions and represent approximately 70% of attributed to its anti-oxidative defense total protein in pulses; albumins are soluble in mechanism (Ghosh, Sarkar, & Sil, 2006). Very water and account for 10-20% of the total protein few publications have studied the bioactive in pulses; glutelins are soluble in dilute acid and proteins in Pigeon pea seeds. On the other base and account for 10-20% of the total protein hand, extensive studies have engrossed to the in pulse seeds. Globulins found in selected other pulse proteins and their health benefits. Cucurbitaceae seeds exhibited significant anti- Most of the studies focused on the nutritive or hyperglycemic activity (Teugwa, Boudjeko, functional properties of Pigeon pea proteins and Tchinda, Mejiato, & Zofou, 2013). The lysine compared their properties with proteins from content in pulse seeds is relatively high other pulse crops such as soybean.