Nutritional and Antinutritional Properties of the Underexploited Legumes Cassia laevigata Willd. and Tamarindus Indica L.

Abstract

The nutrient composition and antinutritional factors of two underexploited tribal pulses, Cassia laevigata and Tamarindus indica were analyzed. The seeds contained 20.8 and 13% crude protein, 5.3 and 7.1% crude lipid, 4.8 and 4.2% ash, 58.6 and 61.7% carbohydrates, respectively. The minerals Ca, Fe, and Zn were rich in C. laevigata; whereas K was rich in T. indicata. The globulins and glutelins constituted the bulk of seed proteins in C. laevigata and albumins and globulins constituted major proteins in T. indicata. Seed lipids of both the legumes exhibited large proportions of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic acid as the major one. The essential amino acids, except methionine and cystine, were present in adequate levels in total proteins and protein fractions of C. laevigata. The total proteins and protein fractions of T. indicata were a rich source of cystine and methionine. However, threonine and tryptophan were limiting. When compared with globulins: albumins contained relatively high levels of theorine and tryptophan. The total free phenolics, tannins, phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide, trypsin inhibitor, and phytohaemagglutinating activities were also analyzed. Tamarindus indica seeds exhibited a relatively high level (71.6%) of in vitro protein digestibility compared to C. laevigata (62.2%).