ABSTRACT
Grains of legumes, pulses, and pseudocereals are increasing in popularity in the snack food market because they provide protein, complex carbohydrates, both insoluble and soluble dietary fiber, lipids rich in unsaturated fatty acids and an array of phytochemicals that are known to favor human health. These properties vary according to the type of grain, genetics, growth environment, and processing. Among these grains, peanuts are undoubtedly the most relevant type in terms of volume and sales. Peanuts are commonly roasted and sold as a whole, in blends with other snacks like dehydrated fruits and tree nuts or even covered for the production of the popular crusted Japanese peanuts. Other specialty grains commonly that are also used by the snack industry to prepare healthy foods are pseudocereals amaranth, quinoa, chia and buckwheat, and oilseeds sesame and flax or linseed. The most common way to incorporate these whole seeds or flours into snacks are through nutritional bars and extruded direct expanded products. This chapter reviews the main nutritional and phytochemical charactersitics of legumes, pseudocereals, and some oilseeds and their processing into various types of common snacks like roasted grains and extruded products.
