Consumption and use of the winged bean by Sri Lankan villagers†

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The winged bean (P. tetragonolobus) is a creeper in the leguminoseae family that grows wild and under cultivation in the humid, tropical areas of South and Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. The plant has recently received international attention because of its ability to fix large amounts of N, and as a result, the pods, leaves, seeds and tuberous roots are uniquely rich in protein. The production, preparation, consumption and use of the winged bean by Sri Lankan villagers were investigated to identify their preceptions of its value as a food and to assess the potential for its increased production and consumption in Sri Lanka. The winged bean plant is well known and integrated into the foodways of the Sinhalese, Buddhist Sri Lankan, but only the tender, immature pods and leaves are normally eaten. Intervention efforts to increase the consumption of any of the winged bean parts will require modifications in the foodways of the Sri Lankans.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: