Ceratotheca sesamoides – Famine Foods

Ceratotheca sesamoides

Uses

Chad (central)0: leaves eaten. Sudan (Kordofan, Darfur): seed pods and leaves ground into a powder used to prepare a traditional Sudanese dish – Waika. Tanzania (Dar es Salaam region; and on the shores of Lake Nyasa): leaves boiled and mixed with cassava leaves. Niger (Balayera): leaves used primarily as a condiment and in soups. A rich source of iron and calcium.

Nutrient  values of leaves – Niger  sample: Mn = 179.64mcg/g Fe = 218.55mcg/g Ca = 4968mcg/g
Mg = 3662mcg/g Cu = 9.66mcg/g Zn = 24.66

Additional Information

Name Authority:
Endl.
Vernaculars:
Chad (central)(Arabic): Darraba t'al goz. Sudan: Abadeib. Niger (Zarma): yodo. English: False Sesame.
Misc:
Chemical composition (leaves and seeds): Protein (crude) = 8.5% (dry). Fat = 1.5% (dry). Fibre (crude) = 8.5% (dry). Ash (insoluble) = 20.2% (dry). Carbohydrate (soluble): Starch = 3.1% (dry). Sucrose = 3.5% (dry). D-glucose = 1.5% (dry). D-fructose = 0.1% (dry). Amino acids (g [16g N]-1): Aspartic acid = 17.2g. Threonine = 5.1g. Serine = 4.4g. Glutamic acid = 13.3g. Proline = 5.0g. Glycine = 5.7g. Alanine = 6.3g. Valine = 6.5g. Cysteine (performic acid oxidation) = 0.7g. Methionine (performic acid oxidation) = 1.9g. Isoleucine = 5.5g. Leucine = 9.4g. Tyrosine = 4.2g. Phenylalanine = 5.7g. Lysine = 5.2g. Histidine = 2.1g. Arginine = 6.1g. Minerals: Sulphur = 0.23% (dry). Potassium = 0.23% (dry). Magnesium = 0.48% (dry). Calcium = 1.48% (dry). Na = 0.02% (dry). Zinc = 36mg/kg-1 (dry). Iron = 194mg/kg-1 (dry). Manganese = 173mg/kg-1 (dry). Copper = 15mg/kg-1 (dry). Aluminum = 137mg/kg-1 (dry). Soil type favored by plant - Western Sudan: sandy.

Country Location Map

This site is provided to Mr. Freedman by Dr. Jules Janick, Emeritus Professor and Former James Troop Distinguished Professor of Horticulture. The content on this site is provided and maintained by Mr. Freedman.

Page last modified: April 10, 2022

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