Nutritional evaluation of Marama bean ( Tylosema esculentum , Fabaceae): Analysis of the seed

Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum, Fabaceae), a potential arid-land legume crop from the Kalahari Desert of Botswana, was analyzed for protein, amino acids, oil, fatty acids, fiber, caloric value, trypsin inhibitor, and mineral content. Results indicate that the bean is adequate in these nutrients for a human diet, but the trypsin inhibitor activity should be destroyed prior to consumption.