Bambara groundnut

The spread of V. subterranea beyond its native range is closely linked to the interplay of human migration, trade, colonialism and agricultural practices. The Bambara groundnut is predominantly cultivated across Sub-Saharan Africa, encompassing several regions. In West Africa, it is grown in countries such as Benin, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal. In Central Africa, it is found in Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nations in East Africa like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Sudan also cultivate it. In Southern Africa, it is grown in countries such as Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Beyond Africa, Bambara groundnut has been introduced to other continents. On the Indian Ocean Islands, it is found in Madagascar, where it is known locally as voanjobory or voanjabory and remains an important component of traditional cuisine. It is also cultivated in Mauritius and the Comoro Islands. In Asia, it is cultivated in India, particularly in the state of Karnataka, and in Indonesia, especially on the island of Java. In Australasia, it is grown in Papua New Guinea. In the Caribbean, it is grown in Dominican Republic where it is known as "manicongo". It was once common in local markets but has declined in recent decades. …

This nutrient-dense legume is sometimes termed a "complete food" due to its balanced macronutrient composition. It is considered to be a neglected and underutilized food source in Benin. The brown hull showed the highest concentrations of rutin and myricetin among flavonoids, while the red hull resulted in having with the highest concentrations of chlorogenic and ellagic acid among tannin compounds.

Macronutrient content. Carbohyd...ProteinsTotal fatTotal dietary fibersCarbohydratesProteinsTotal fatTotal dietary fibersMacronutrient content of Bambara groundnuts ....mw-chart-9196600cf34aa437d509d412a63464e4a05ff31413cf7902a69c3997d44469774cf42ac81e0448ce3ef4313ba8250bd496087cb8bbd97a4197211e9a8da3db25__zr231092-cls-1205397:hover{cursor:pointer}.mw-chart-9196600cf34aa437d509d412a63464e4a05ff31413cf7902a69c3997d44469774cf42ac81e0448ce3ef4313ba8250bd496087cb8bbd97a4197211e9a8da3db25__zr231092-cls-1205398:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(82,130,235,1)}.mw-chart-9196600cf34aa437d509d412a63464e4a05ff31413cf7902a69c3997d44469774cf42ac81e0448ce3ef4313ba8250bd496087cb8bbd97a4197211e9a8da3db25__zr231092-cls-1205399:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(255,199,56,1)}.mw-chart-9196600cf34aa437d509d412a63464e4a05ff31413cf7902a69c3997d44469774cf42ac81e0448ce3ef4313ba8250bd496087cb8bbd97a4197211e9a8da3db25__zr231092-cls-1205400:hover{cursor:pointer;fill:rgba(255,132,111,1)}.mw-chart-9196600cf34aa437d …

In South Eastern Nigeria, particularly in Enugu, the dried Bambara beans are ground into a fine powder, then mixed with palm oil, water and, more rarely, vegetables (e.g., utazi), then poured into banana leaf wraps or one-liter cellophane bags before being boiled into a pudding to make okpa, a common breakfast food. During the rainy season in many parts of central Nigeria, the fresh Bambara beans are cooked with their shells still on them, then eaten as a snack.