TIGERNUT (Cyperus esculentus L.): THE NUTRITIVE COMPOSITION AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS

The worsening food crisis and the consequent wide spread prevalence of malnutrition in developing and underdeveloped countries have resulted in high mortality and morbidity rates, especially among infants and children in low-income groups (Enujiugba and Akanbi, 2005). The reliance on starchy roots and tubers and protein deficient cereals as main staples results in consumption of non-nutritious foods. The insufficient availability of nutrient rich diets and the high cost of the available ones have prompted an intense research into harnessing the potentials of the lesser known and underutilized crops, which are potentially valuable for human and animal foods to maintain a balance between population and agricultural productivity, particularly the tropical and subtropical areas of the world.This book contains research work done on Tigernut to determine the Nutritive composition and the biochemical effects of the tuber. The findings from the research would shed some light on the nutritional qualities of the tuber and advice on the cultivation and consumption of the tuber.