The African yam bean is a legume that is rich in protein and starch and an important source of
calcium and
amino acids. It contains amino acids that are important for the development in early pre-school and school aged children and also those required for adults. The yam bean is a useful source of nutrients for many African communities with a nutritional value comparable to that of the soybean, although the cooking time for the yam bean is much longer (4–6 hours). However, some health problems have been discovered in relation to consumption of these beans including flatulence, stomach cramps, diarrhea and dizziness. These problems result from the way they are usually cooked. Although little research has been devoted to this plant, some important studies have been conducted including one on how to relieve these health problems. Studies show problems are resolved when the yam bean seeds are exposed to pre-cooking treatments such as
lactic acid fermented using a low-level technological process. The fermentation method also reduces the amount of time and energy to produce a viable food product from the yam bean. In addition to research on cooking treatments, some research has been conducted on the genetic variability of the plant. The yam bean has a high level of genetic variability, which will be useful during the hybridization of the plant in order to increase food production and sustainability. While the yam bean has been subject to cultivation, there has been little
artificial selection on specific traits. If the yam bean could be grown in large quantities, this crop could be the important source of protein needed by the people of sub-Saharan Africa. ==References==