Bioactive proteins and phytochemicals from legumes: Mechanisms of action preventing obesity and type-2 diabetes

[Display omitted] •Main bioactives in legumes include polyphenols, peptides, saponins, and carotenoids.•Legume bioactive compounds ameliorate and prevent metabolic dysfunction.•Legume bioactives act through interaction with membrane receptors and key enzymes.•Bioactives extractions require to be optimized to substitute toxic solvents. The Fabaceae family of plants include a variety of seeds with multiple shapes, sizes, and colors; with a great diversity of bioactive compounds found in legume seeds. Legumes are an excellent source of protein, peptides and phytochemicals which are present in significant amounts. These bioactive compounds have been reported to reduce the risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as obesity and type-2 diabetes. In this narrative review, we discuss the biological potential of bioactive compounds found in legumes and the health benefits associated with their consumption as an alternative approach in the management of NCD. Current extraction methods, characteristics of the bioactive compounds, and different in vitro and in vivo studies evaluating the bioactivity of legume bioactives are reviewed and discussed.