Table 2.

Summary of pulse nutritional and antinutritional components that may help with weight management

Component	Brief description of mechanism
Carbohydrate	Slowly digestible, low glycemic
Dietary fiber	Soluble, viscous fiber gels in small intestine, slowing gastric emptying and hence absorption (ileal brake). Fermentable fiber is digested in the colon by bacteria, which liberates SCFA that may be used for energy, thereby sparing protein and glucose. SCFA may also suppress hepatic glucose production. The SCFA propionate may also stimulate satiety.
Starch make-up	High amylose:amylopectin ratio compared with other vegetables and root crops. Amylose also ferments in the colon and therefore may have effects similar to fiber.
Resistant starch	Amylose starch and the external branches amylopectin starch gelatinize as a result of heating, but they reassociate or retrograde upon cooling, thereby becoming resistant to digestion. α-Glucosidase enzymes are less apt to reach the areas needed to digest the starch. The starch-protein matrix may also reduce starch digestion rate by limiting enzyme accessibility to the starch.
Oligosaccharides	Considered prebiotic, therefore may facilitate the growth of bacteria in the large intestine, which may help to spare protein and glucose use for energy and stimulate satiety the liberation of SCFA as described above.
Protein	About 25% energy from protein; bound to starch in matrix, limiting the accessibility of both to digestive enzymes; limiting in amino acids lysine and methionine but when coupled with complementary protein sources such as corn or grain (higher in these 2 amino acids) becomes a complete protein source. Dietary protein may stimulate gut hormones to increase satiety, increase the energy cost of digesting and absorbing a meal high in protein, and spare fat-free mass during energy restriction.
Digestive enzyme inhibitors	Protease inhibitors may inhibit enzymes needed for protein digestion (e.g. trypsin and chymotrypsin); however, they are mostly destroyed by cooking and are not thought to play an important role in weight regulation. Amylase inhibitors may inhibit pancreatic amylase, reducing carbohydrate digestion, but these are also thought to be mostly destroyed during cooking and processing of whole pulses. However, extracts from Phaseolus vulgaris may be heat treated and prepared in such a way as to preserve the amylase inhibitor activity.
Phytochemicals	Phenolic compounds may reduce enterocyte glucose absorption by interfering with glucose transporters that may help delay postprandial glucose absorption, which may contribute to satiety and delay the return of hunger. Phytic acid (myo-inositol hexaphosphate), the major storage form of phosphate in plant cells, may help delay postprandial glucose absorption, which could contribute to satiety and delay the return of hunger.
Energy density	Moderate energy density may contribute to satiety, helping to limit energy intake.