Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc)
Species
Synonyms
Glycine
subterranea L., Voandzeia subterranea (L.)
Common
names
Bambara
bean, bambara groundnut, congo goober, ground bean, hog-peanut, Congo groundnut,
earth pea, njugo bean, Bambarra groundnut, Congo earth pea, kaffir pea,
Madagascar groundnut, stone groundnut [English]; pois bambara, voandzou
[French]; bambarra, guandsú, guisante de tierra, maní de bambarra [Spanish],
jinguba de cagambe [Portuguese]; Kacang bogor [Bahasa Indonesia]; قاموس آجروفوك
[Arabic]; gongongu (pl. gongonji), gorosgoros, biriji daɓɓi, biriji damuɗi,
ngalaa-wu/ji, ngalgalaa-wu/ji
Description
The bambara groundnut (Vigna
subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an annual, creeping legume with glabrous,
trifoliate leaves. It is cultivated
primarily for its seeds, which are used as human food. In Africa, it is the
third most commonly eaten legume after groundnut and cowpea. The seeds are used
in many types of foods, some of which are an important part of human diets.
Distribution
Vigna subterranea originates from West
Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Chad) and is cultivated
in drier tropical Africa. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.)
Verdc.) originated in West Africa but has become widely distributed throughout
the semi-arid zone of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Bambara
groundnut [BG] (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an African species,
the cultivation of which predates that of groundnut. Although occasionally
grown in Asia and elsewhere, its cultivation is rare outside the African
continent.
Bambara
groundnut (Vigna subterraenea (L.) verdc) (BGN) is a legume; its origin have
been traced back to Africa, and it is the third important legume; however, it
is one of the neglected crops. It is highly nutritious, and has been termed a
complete food.
In Southern Africa, Zimbabwe is the centre of
production. It can also be found in tropical parts of America, Asia and
Australia but the present degree of cultivation outside Africa is basically
negligible.
Bamara groundnuts are
also known as jugo beans or in Swahili, njugumawe is native to West
Africa but is now grown widely as a crop in the tropical regions of Africa. Jugo bean is often intercropped with maize and pumpkin.
The
Bambara groundnut is an extremely adaptable plant. It is well suited for hot,
dry, marginal soils and will continue to grow in conditions to dry for Sorghum,
maize and peanuts. It is also has the reputation for resisting pests and
disease. In many traditional cropping systems it is intercroped with other root
and tuber crops.
Nutritional attributes
BG is a good source
of fibre, calcium, iron and potassium. The red seeds could be useful in areas
where iron deficiency is a problem, as they contain almost twice as much iron
as the cream seeds.
BG has the potential to
provide a balanced diet in areas where animal protein is scarce and/or
expensive and where the cultivation of other legumes is risky due to low
rainfall. BG compares favourably in nutritional status, with other well known
and highly commercialised beans.
Because bambara groundnut seeds are
good sources of protein and energy for people during the dry season, it has
been recommended to use the shells and other by-products to feed animals,
leaving the seeds for human consumption.
Because
of their relatively high protein content, Vigna subterranea seeds are
a potentially valuable protein source for all classes of livestock. However, it
has been recommended to use the shells and other by-products to feed animals
and to use the seeds as food so that people can benefit from their protein and
energy during the dry season. The essential amino acid profile of the seeds is
comparable to that of soybean.
Furthermore, Bambara groundnut milk
(BGNM) has been reported to be a potential crop, owing to its nutritional
composition, functional properties, antioxidant potential, and a drought
resistant crop.
Bambara groundnut milk (BGNM) had been
rated higher in acceptability than milk from other legumes like soybean and
cowpea.
BGNs
are normally boiled and salted, eaten as a relish or roasted, and eaten as a
snack. Hence, BGNM can also be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a
probiotic beverage that not only increase the economic value of the nutritious
legume but also help in addressing malnutrition.
Sharing
a high nutritive value with other widely consumed legumes, bambara has an
appealing flavour which is reflected in demand from small local and niche
markets. Despite its high and balanced protein content, bambara remains
under-utilised because it takes a long time to cook, contains anti-nutritional
factors and does not dehull easily. Bambara yields well under conditions which
are too arid for groundnut (Arachis hypogea), maize (Zea mays L.)
and even sorghum (Sorghum bicolar.
BG
plays a key role in the traditional food and culture of peoples in the western
and northern parts of Côte d’Ivoire. Bambara groundnut is now widely
distributed in the semi-arid zone of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and most authors
seem to support the view that there, it is the third most important food legume
after cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and groundnut.
Bambara
groundnut is important for smallholders and their households because the beans
are an important source of food security, being nutritious and high in protein.
Although, in common with other legumes, bambara is deficient in
sulphur-containing amino acids, some genotypes contain higher amounts of
methionine and lysine than is found in other legumes .
As
a nitrogen-fixing legume, bambara also contributes to the maintenance of soil
fertility. Although normally grown in areas where cowpea and groundnut are
grown, BG is considered to have an advantage over those crops in its adaptation
to poor soils and tolerance to drought. BG yields well under conditions which
are too arid for groundnut, maize and even sorghum.
Its drought tolerance makes bambara a useful
legume to include in climate change adaptation strategies. Existing bambara
products are not well promoted in the local or international markets and new
products are needed that highlight its inherent nutritional and culinary
advantages.
NUTRIENT VALUE
Bambara groundnut seeds contain 63% carbohydrate, 19% protein and 6.5% oil (Linnemann, 1987). The gross energy value of bambara groundnut seed is greater than that of other common pulses such as cowpea, lentil (Lens esculenta) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) (FAO, 1982). De Kock (undated) provides the following nutritional breakdown: carbohydrates: 54.5 69.3%, protein 17 - 24.6% and fat 5.3 - 7.8%. BG is a good source of fibre, calcium, iron and potassium. The red seeds could be useful in areas where iron deficiency is a problem, as they contain almost twice as much iron as the cream seeds (de Koch, undated).
Often, it is the cream or white seeded BG which are more sought after and command up to a 10% premium in Ghana (Quaye and Kanda, 2004). Red seeds are more popular than the cream seeds in Zimbabwe, where they command a higher price with the Grain Marketing Board. BG has the potential to provide a balanced diet in areas where animal protein is scarce and/or expensive and where the cultivation of other legumes is risky due to low rainfall. BG compares favourably in nutritional status, with other well known and highly commercialised beans.
Information on nutrient content and antinutritional factors was presented in a paper from Nigeria on the nutritional effect of three traditional processing methods (Ijarotimi and Esho, 2009). Fermentation improved the mineral composition, but had little effect on the amino acid content and decreased the anti-nutritional factors; oxalate, tannic acid, phytic acid and trypsin.
Nutritional
attributes
Because of their relatively high protein
content, Vigna subterranea seeds are a potentially valuable protein
source for all classes of livestock. However, it has been recommended to use
the shells and other by-products to feed animals and to use the seeds as food
so that people can benefit from their protein and energy during the dry season.
The essential amino acid profile of the seeds is comparable to that of soybean
(Omoikhoje, 2008; Fetuga et al., 1975).
Potential of Bambara groundnut
(Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) milk as a probiotic beverage-a review
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterraenea (L.) verdc)
(BGN) is a legume; its origin have been traced back to Africa, and it is the
third important legume; however, it is one of the neglected crops. It is highly
nutritious, and has been termed a complete food. Its seed consist of 49%-63.5%
carbohydrate, 15%-25% protein, 4.5%-7.4% fat, 5.2%-6.4% fiber, 3.2%-4.4% ash
and 2% mineral compared to whole fresh cow milk 88% moisture, 4.8%
carbohydrate, 3.2% proteins, 3.4% fat, 0.7% ash, and 0.01% cholesterol. Its
chemical composition is comparable to that of soy bean. Furthermore, BGN has
been reported to be a potential crop, owing to its nutritional composition,
functional properties, antioxidant potential, and a drought resistant crop.
Bambara groundnut milk (BGNM) had been rated higher in acceptability than milk
from other legumes like soybean and cowpea. Probiotics have been defined as
live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amount confer a health
benefit on the host. These benefits have been reported to be therapeutic,
suppressing the growth and activity in conditions like infectious diarrhea,
irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. The nutritional
profile of BGNM is high enough to sustain the growth of probiotics. BGNs are
normally boiled and salted, eaten as a relish or roasted, and eaten as a snack.
Hence, BGNM can also be fermented with lactic acid bacteria to make a probiotic
beverage that not only increase the economic value of the nutritious legume but
also help in addressing malnutrition.
Vigna subterranea (Jugo bean, Bambara groundnut, African
groundnut)
Uses
·
Young seeds are eaten raw or cooked.
·
Mature seeds if eaten whole are soaked in water and then boiled,
or roasted in oil. In Limpopo
Province, they are boiled in the pod and then the soft seeds are eaten as
a snack. This crop is of sufficient significance to the Venda in Limpopo
Province that they hold a harvest ritual for it, as they also do forAfrican
finger millet.
·
Mature seeds can also be pounded into flour.
·
Seeds are canned commercially in Zimbabwe. However, in Africa most
of the production of Jugo beans is eaten locally.
References:
Physicochemical
and functional properties of proteinates of two Bambara groundnut (vigna
subterranean) landraces
Assessing
opportunities for increased utilisation of bambara groundnut in Southern Africa
Yield
and mineral composition of grain legumes
IDENTIFICATION
OF PROTEIN TYPES IN BAMBARA NUT SEEDS: PERSPECTIVES
FOR DIETARY PROTEIN SUPPLY
IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
The
improvement of Bambara groundnut production in Northern Namibia
by
means of breeding strategies and agronomic investigations
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