Importance. Cowpea’s high protein content, its adaptability to different types of soil and intercropping systems, its resistance to drought, and its ability to improve soil fertility and prevent erosion makes it an important economic crop in many developing regions.
What are cowpeas rich in?
Cowpea is rich in potassium with good amount of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It also has small amount of iron, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium [78].
What are some of the other uses for cowpeas?
Uses for cowpeas:
- The leaves and growth points can be picked and used as a vegetable dish.
- The leaves can be dried and used as a meat substitute.
- The green seeds are sometimes roasted like peanuts and these are then used as a substitute for coffee.
- Ground dried seeds mixed with onions and spices can be fried in oil.
Are cowpeas nutritious?
Cowpea is considered as a nutrient dense food with low energy density. An average cowpea grain contains 23–32% protein,17 50–60% carbohydrate18, 19 and about 1% fat19 in dry basis.
Is cow peas good for diabetics?
The cowpeas are abundant in soluble fibre and can be helpful for people suffering from diabetes. It can help you to regulate our blood sugar levels and keep that diabetes at bay. The cowpeas has a low glycemic index and be good for your blood lipid profile.
Is cowpeas rich in protein?
Cowpea is a nutritious food source rich in protein (~24%), dietary fiber (~11%), and potassium (1112 mg/100 g) while low in lipids (<2%) and sodium (16 mg/100 g) (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2021).
Is cowpea a carbohydrate or protein?
Abstract. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a legume consumed as a high‐quality plant protein source in many parts of the world. High protein and carbohydrate contents with relatively low fat content and complementary amino acid pattern to that of cereal grains make cowpea an important nutritional food in the human diet.
What class of food is cowpea?
The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an annual herbaceous legume (family Fabaceae) grown predominantly in Africa and is an important staple crop providing an affordable source of protein (Muranaka et al., 2016).
What is the common name for cowpea?
black-eyed pea
cowpea, (Vigna unguiculata), also called black-eyed pea or southern pea, annual plant within the pea family (Fabaceae) grown for its edible legumes.
Why are they called cow peas?
The first written reference of the word ‘cowpea’ appeared in 1798 in the United States. The name was most likely acquired due to their use as a fodder crop for cows. Black-eyed pea, a common name used for the unguiculata cultivar group, describes the presence of a distinctive black spot at the hilum of the seed.
Is cowpea good for weight loss?
Good for Weight Loss
Like other beans, cowpeas are a low-fat, and low-calorie food, which is extremely beneficial for weight loss. The sodium content of the vegetable is also very low.
How do you eat cowpeas?
Both the green and purple podded varieties, as well as the yard long beans, are easily found. The pods are eaten raw or stir fried, and some may even add it to a soup or eat them steamed. Raw cowpeas are commonly added to papaya salad and make a great vegetable to dip into chili sauce dip.
Is cowpea good for pregnancy?
Chawli beans rich in Folate, Vitamin B9 :
Folate or Vitamin B9 helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells. Great source of Folic Acid for pregnant women and those who want to conceive must start having folate rich foods even while they are planning to conceive.
Can you eat cowpea leaves Raw?
I was so fortunate to try some out last night. Of course first I tasted them raw, they tasted somewhere between a spinach and a collard green to me. I could probably eat them raw in a salad, specially with an amazing dressing.
What are the most nutritious beans?
9 Healthy Beans and Legumes You Should Try
- Chickpeas.
- Lentils.
- Peas.
- Kidney beans.
- Black beans.
- Soybeans.
- Pinto beans.
- Navy beans.
What are the benefits of kidney beans?
Kidney beans are an excellent plant-based source of protein. They’re also rich in various minerals, vitamins, fibers, antioxidants, and other unique plant compounds. Therefore, these beans may aid weight loss, promote colon health, and moderate blood sugar levels.
Which beans have the most protein?
Beans With the Highest Protein
By far, boiled soybeans, also known as edamame, supply the highest amount of protein among beans. In a 1/2 cup of edamame, you’ll get a whopping 32 percent of the daily value (DV) for protein on a 2,000-calorie diet.
How much protein do I need?
How much protein do you need? Anywhere from 10% to 35% of your calories should come from protein. So if your needs are 2,000 calories, that’s 200–700 calories from protein, or 50–175 grams. The recommended dietary allowance to prevent deficiency for an average sedentary adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Can diabetics eat black-eyed peas?
The soluble fiber in black eyed peas slows digestion, which helps the body regulate blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of blood sugar spikes. This lowered risk makes black eyed peas a healthy food choice for people with diabetes.
What are examples of cowpea?
Black-eyed peaLower classifications
What is the percentage of protein in cowpea?
The protein content ranged from 25.38% to 27.56% with no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the improved varieties and the local variety, ash content ranged between 3.47 and 6.84%, crude fiber was between 5.81 and 15.08%, and carbohydrate ranged from 45.64 to 57.12%.