To investigate characterization of the -amylase inhibitors from cereals and legumes produced in Korea, inhibitory activities against -amylase with the inhibitor from barley(Hordeum vulgare), wheat(Triticum aestivun), black bean(Glycine max), bean(Cajanus cajon) and pea(Pisum sativum) were measured. Among the samples tested, inhibitors from naked barley and black bean(sabong) which showed the highest inhibitor activities of cereals and legumes, respectively, were characterized according to treatment condition. The results obtained were summarized as follows. During the germination of naked barley and black bean, -amylase activities were gradually increased but inhibitory activities against -amylases were decreased. Both activities were gradually decreased when naked barley and black bean were stored. More than 50% of activities of the inhibitors from naked barley and black bean were remained at 100 for 15 min and 20 min, respectively, indicating that the inhibitor from black bean was more stable to heat than that of barley.