The main function of food is to provide nutrients; however, a reductionist approach is to consider nutrients in an individual matter. To consider food as a sum of macro-and micronutrients is a limited way to understand their true effects on the metabolic response. The impact of carbohydrates, fats, proteins or even polyphenols can be different depending on the food in which they are present and on other products that are consumed at the same time. Therefore, it is essential to consider the interactions between nutrients and the food matrix when assessing and/or interpreting the metabolic response. The term food matrix can be defined as the set of nutrient and non-nutrient components of foods and their molecular relationships. Capuano et al.(2018) described food matrix as the whole of the interactions between food components. These interactions occur at different scales and produce distinct microstructures and macrostructures (Aguilera, 2019). Digestion can be considered as a physiological interface between food and its effects on health. During digestion, the food matrix, which modulates the rate and degree to which nutrients and bioactive compounds are available for absorption, is broken down and the different nutrients and bioactive compounds can be absorbed through a synergy of mechanical, chemical and biochemical processes. Therefore, it is important to understand the influence of the food matrix on the digestibility and metabolic responses to foods, especially those most consumed throughout the world. In this sense, starch is the most abundant food polysaccharide consumed worldwide and is thus an important macronutrient. Starch represents 45% to 65% of the caloric intake daily. It is also the main structure-building macroconstituent in many widely consumed foods, such as bread, pasta, tortilla, rice and pastries, and the main glucose provider in human diets.

Cereals and tubers are considered the main carbohydrate sources in different diets and are largely produced worldwide. They are not only rich in starch (~ 75%) and protein (8% to 14%), but also contain vitamins, minerals, phytoestrogens, and other phytochemicals (Martinez, 2021). Whole grains are characterized by the presence of all kernel constituents; they are rich in dietary fiber (DF), resistant starch (RS), antioxidants, and other important micronutrients such as folic acid and other vitamins. Altogether, these components of whole grains have relevant functional properties that can, at least in part, explain their health benefits (Della Pepa et al., 2018). Legumes, on the other hand, are sources of complex carbohydrates, protein and DF, having significant amounts of vitamins and minerals, and high energy value (Verkempinck et al., 2020). Particularly, beans contain different types of phytochemicals (anthocyanins, flavonols, isoflavones) whose bioactivity has been proven in both in vitro and in vivo tests and supported by