Cowpea And Nutritional Benefits

Cowpea contains flavonoids also called bioflavonoids which are mainly found in legumes, citrus fruits, red wine, apples etc. The antioxidants are very good for the body as it helps in the fight against cancer, reduce cancer risk and other health conditions such as stroke, heart diseases and asthma.
It also contains folate which helps in the body’s red blood cell production and in dead cells regeneration.
Helps Boost the Immune System
Adding cowpeas to your diet may help in boosting your immune system, for example, some of the antioxidants which can be found in kidney beans help to remove the free radicals in the body, thus making the immune system stronger.
Cowpea is an edible bean which is predominately cultivated and eaten in Africa and Asia, and in other parts of the world especially countries in the arid areas.
There are also various species of cowpea or beans present globally, and though they may be commonly referred to as beans, they have names specific to them, this includes Black-eyed peas which are popularly referred to as White or Brown beans, Adzuki beans, Sweet beans, Black Beans, Chickpeas, Kidney beans, Mung beans, Pigeon peas, Pinto beans, Bambara beans etc.
In some countries, beans have its own local names such as Chawli for Blackeye beans in India, Chori for Adzuki beans in India, Ewa for Blackeye beans in Nigeria and also Black Beans (popularly called Akidi), Pigeon peas (fio-fio).
Beans in most countries, especially in Africa is the primary protein food source and can be specially cooked by boiling either as white beans or porridge beans; in Brazil, the black beans are cooked and served with stew and the food delicacy is known as Feijoada.
Cowpea or beans can also be processed into various nutritional grades of products for diverse purposes while maintaining its nutritional value.
Beans can be grounded into flour known as beans flour which is used in the making of moi-moi (beans pudding), Akara (beanballs or cakes) and can be commercially used as a baking flour too.