Nutritional Evaluation of some Famine Foods of Rajasthan Desert

Local man resorts to wild plants for his rescue in times of scarcity of food. Study was undertaken to assess the nutrient content of several of these edible wild plants used during hardship. Crude protein contents of seeds, leaves and branches of locally used famine foods of arid region including potential exotic Acacias has been determined. CP of bark of Acacia leucophloea, Acacia nilotica and Prosopis cineraria has been found to be 18.70/r, 13.7% and 23.1% respectively. Leaves of Cleome viscosa, Aerva javanica, Cassia tora and Balanites aegyptiaca contain 29.9%, 29.3%, 1.9% and 26.3% Protein respectively. Acacia seeds contain maximum amounts of CP viz., Acacia senegal has 35.8% protein. Capparis and Prosopis from a good nutritious source of food. They can be called famine foods attracting additional consumer category.