Potential of Underutilized Legumes Toward Nutritional Security and Diversity

ABSTRACT Underutilized legumes, known as “forgotten gems,” serve as a potential role in resolving global hunger issues, nutritional imbalance, and sustainability challenges. These include horse gram, winged bean, Bambara groundnut, rice bean, adzuki beans, and hyacinth bean. Such legumes contain 32%–37% protein, 23%–40% carbohydrates, and vital bioactive compounds. This review comprises an analysis of their nutrients, health effects, and industrial utilization, which features processing approaches including conventional, thermal, and bioprocessing techniques to improve their market acceptance. These legumes contribute to sustainable agriculture through their inherent drought tolerance and nitrogen‐fixing capacity. Nevertheless, their wider adoption is constrained by weak supply chain networks, limited financial investment in research and market infrastructure, and inadequate awareness among both producers and consumers. Multiple barriers hinder the market value, so to enhance their demand, investments and public knowledge are required. These crops should be integrated into diets since this action will significantly boost food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability for future food systems.