Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) a renewed multipurpose crop for a more sustainable agri-food system. Nutritional advantages and constraints.

The growing awareness on the relevance of food composition for human health has increased the interest of the inclusion of high proportions of fruits and vegetables in diets. To reach the objective of more balanced diets, an increased consumption of legumes, which constitutes a sustainable source of essential nutrients, particularly low cost protein, is of special relevance. However, legumes' consumption also entails some constraints that need to be addressed to avoid a deleterious impact on consumers' wellbeing and health. The value of legumes as a source of nutrients depends on a plethora of factors including genetic characteristics, agro-climatic conditions, and post-harvest management that modulate the dietary effect of edible seeds and vegetative material. Thus, a more comprehensive information regarding composition, especially their nutritional and antinutritional compounds, digestibility, and alternative processing procedures is essential. These were the challenges to write this review focused on the nutritional and antinutritional composition of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, an emerging crop all over the world intended to provide a rational support for the development of valuable foods and feeds of increased commercial value.