Chemical composition and nutritional potential of the tribal pulses Bauhinia purpurea, B racemosa and B vahlii

Three Indian tribal pulses, Bauhinia purpurea L, B racemosa Lamk and B vahlii W and A, were analysed for pod morphology, proximate composition, seed protein fractions, amino acid composition, minerals and antinutritional factors. The seeds of B purpurea and B vahlii contained higher contents of crude protein and crude lipid than those of B racemosa resulting in higher energy values for these two pulses. The seeds of B purpurea were rich in K, whereas those of B racemosa and B vahlii were rich in Ca and Fe. Albumins and globulins constituted the predominant fractions of the seed proteins in B purpurea and B vahlii whereas glutelins predominated in B racemosa. In all three species the contents of the essential amino acids lysine, tyrosine and phenylalanine were fairly high; the contents of sulphur amino acids were limiting. Isoleucine and leucine were limiting only in B vahlii proteins. Levels of the antinutritional factors investigated, free phenols, tannins, L‐DOPA, and haemagglutinating and trypsin inhibitor activities were not particularly high.