The morama bean (Tylosema esculentum): a potential crop for southern Africa.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of food composition and agricultural potential
PubMed 21092905 · doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-374468-5.00005-2
What was done
Narrative review summarizing the geographic distribution, nutritional profile, phytonutrient content, and agricultural potential of the morama bean (Tylosema esculentum), an underutilized wild legume native to the Kalahari Desert and neighboring regions in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.
What was found
The morama bean is reported to contain 29% to 39% protein and 24% to 48% oil rich in mono- and di-unsaturated fatty acids with no cholesterol. It contains micronutrients including calcium, iron, zinc, phosphate, magnesium, and B vitamins such as folate. It also contains bioactive components and antinutrients including phenolic compounds (such as tannins), trypsin inhibitors, phytates, and oligosaccharides.
Why it matters
The bean represents a drought-tolerant, nutrient-dense food source with potential utility as a cash crop and nutritional resource in arid southern African communities.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review without primary interventional or clinical data. No details are provided on sample sizes, agronomic variability across regions, processing effects, or nutrient bioavailability in humans.
Cited by
- context The morama bean is the second most consumed food by hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari.