WHY BAMBARA NUT CAN HELP YOU LOOSE WEIGHT

Bambara nut is a seed of Africa origin used locally as a vegetable. It was first found in west Africa. The plant is leguminous and has numerous nitrogen fixing nodules on the root. The quest for plant with nutritional properties continues to receive attention. Bambara nut which constitutes complete food stuff is reported to contain protein, carbohydrate and lipid and can be consumed at different stages of maturation. The plant has a potential to improve malnutrition and boost food availability.




The botanical name of Bambara nut is Voandzeia subterranean (L.) thouars, synonyms of Vigna subterranean and it belongs to the plantea of the family of fabaceae and sub family of Faboidea. The common names of Bambara nut are okpa (Nigeria Igbo), Gurujia (Nigeria, Hausa), congo groundnut (Cong), Njugo, bean (South Africa) Nzama (Malawi) Ntoyo (Ci Bemba) or Katoyo (K, Kanod) (Zambia) (http://wapedia.mobi/en/bambara).

Bambara nuts are used locally as food stuff for preparing moi-moi (Nigeria, Igbo). It can be boiled and eaten as nut and can also be grounded into flour for preparing fufu maize for (Nigeria, Middle Belt). Bambara is used to fortify maize for pap (Nigeria, Anambra state). The dry seeds can last for very long time and serves as famine food boosting food availability.

The low ash content (4.75%) recorded for bambara nut shows that the food stuff contains very small amounts of micro elements. The protein level of bambara nut (18.50%) is significant as it can serve as a proteineous food which enhances growth and cell maintenance. The carbohydrate level of 46.50% is an indication that the nut has very high energy content hence it has the capacity to serve as energy given food.

The low moisture content of the nut (7.19%) is good for its keeping or storage quality. The percentage oil content of bambara seed is low compared to Soya beans, groundnuts and bread fruits that are also legumes.

The percentage Free Fatty Acid (FFA) of Barbara nuts is very low (1.11). This is an indication that the oil is stable. The fatty acid components found in bambara nut oil are Caprylic acid (17.0%), Capric (8.0%), Lauric acid (9.0%), Palmitic acid (10.0%). Palmitoleic acid (21.0%), Oleic (18.0%) and Linoleic acid (12.0%). The Linoleic acid, Oleic and Palmitoleic acid are unsaturated acids and are also among the essential fatty acids required by the body.

These fatty acids are used to produce hormone like substances that regulate wide range of functions. They regulate blood pressure, blood clothing and blood lipid level and inflammation response to injury infections. Therefore, they are essential in human diet since there are no synthetic mechanisms available for their production in the human body.

Linoleic acid is one of the most important polyunsaturated fatty acids in human food of its ability to prevent distinct heart vascular disease. The Bambara nut oil is predominantly made of the unsaturated palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, lineleic acid and caprylic acid.

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