Nutritive And Antioxidant Contents Of Wild-Legume Protein-Rich Plant Products

Mature seeds of 20 species of the family Leguminoseae belonging to three subdivisions (Mimosoideae, Caesalpinoideae, Papilonoideae) were collected and were analysed for their nutritive and antioxidant contents. Crude protein values varied between 17.2% in Cassia hirsuta and 35% in Canavalia ensiformis. The highest crude lipids was recorded in Xylia xylocarpa (23.3%) and Bauhinia vahlii (23.3%). Among the 20 species, the highest content of crude fiber was recorded in Leucaena leucocephala (9.6%). Among the macro-minerals, potassium was the most abundant mineral, followed by calcium. The highest levels of iron was reported in Mucuna atropurpurea (17.4%). The antioxidants, phenols and L-DOPA were high in Mucuna pruriens var. pruriens.