What makes sprouts so healthy? Metabolite analysis of chickpeas and co.
Legume sprouts are receiving increasing attention for their health-promoting properties. Considered a nutritious source of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, they are also rich in alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids with hypoglycemic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. IPB scientists, together with partners from Egypt, have now identified and quantified the metabolites of chickpea, fava, fenugreek and lentil sprouts. Using an NMR-based metabolomics approach and multivariate data analyses, they were able to identify 32 metabolites and establish a specific metabolite profile for each individual sprout species. For example, isoflavones were found exclusively in chickpea sprouts, while the presence of 4-hydroxyisoleucine was characteristic for fenugreek. The NMR-based metabolite analysis presented by the authors offers several advantages over already established LC and GC-MS methods. It not only enables parallel detection of many primary and secondary metabolites, but also simultaneously records the quantitative ratios of the detected substances. The method is therefore particularly suitable for quality control in the standardized production of sprout extracts. These are increasingly used in cosmetic products and food supplements.
