Emerging studies have revealed that plant-based food could support a healthy gastrointestinal and gut environment by regulating lipid digestion, modulating gut microbiota, and producing short-chain fatty acids that have a positive effect on host metabolism and immune function. Such a beneficial physiological function has mainly been attributed to the rich-diary fiber, moderate protein, and low-fat content in plant foods. As a complex soft condensed matter, food’s nutritional and health properties are influenced not only by the type and amount of food compositions but also by the interactions within the food macromolecules, the physical and chemical state under different environmental conditions, and the structural changes during processing. 

During my Ph.D. study, I investigated the mechanisms behind how the matrix and components of beans can influence their ability to bind bile salts and modulate lipid digestion under different processing treatments of beans. Understanding how food processing modifies the microstructural, physicochemical, and physiological properties of dry beans could inspire us with new ideas for developing beans into palatable products with desirable functionalities. 

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