Phenolic Antioxidants in Legumes and Nuts

Legumes and nuts are some of the most nutritious foods widely consumed in the world. The majority of the legumes are common beans, chickpea, lentil, cowpea, and green peas, whereas nuts include almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnut, pecan, macadamias, and Brazil nuts. The major polyphenolic compounds of legumes consist mainly of tannins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. In nuts, phenolic compounds are usually present at the highest concentration in the seed coat i.e., the skin or pellicle surrounding the kernel. Walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, and pecans have been reported to contain the highest total phenolic contents amongst all types of nuts.