A review of the nutritional use of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) for human and animal diets

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is a popular legume crop farmed primarily in Africa and used for human and livestock diets all over the world. Despite this, little study has been done on it, and it is the least used pulse crop in comparison to others. Therefore, the goal of this thorough paper was to provide insight and synthesis into the dietary and phenolic status of cowpeas, as well as their impact on human and animal diets. In addition, protein, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary fibers, minerals, and vitamins are abundant in cowpea seeds, leaves, and green pods. Cowpea is a water deficiency tolerant crop that could be used as food for humans and feed for livestock with the bulk of their macro and micronutrients. It also contains anti-nutritional elements that could be inconvenient to human and non-ruminant animal nutrition. However, various processing methods are employed to diminish or eliminate the negative effects of anti-nutritional components. Ruminants consume cowpea seeds for up to 30% of their diets. Raw cowpea seeds, for example, are included in the nutrition of ruminants, but they should not be used in non-ruminant diets without treatment. Its hulls are a low-cost prospective feed for chicken diets, with a maximum use of 15% in starter and finisher rations. Cowpea leaves and green pods are used to control or treat a variety of human diseases, including measles, smallpox, adenitis, burns, and ulcers, in addition to their nutritional benefits. Similarly, the seeds of the cowpea plant are important for the medication of different diseases, such as astringent, antipyretic, and diuretic. For liver and spleen problems, intestinal cramp, leucorrhoea, menstrual abnormalities, and urine expulsions, decoction or soup is employed. Cowpea may also fix up to 80% of the nitrogen in the soil, lowering the demand for and expense of nitrogen fertilizer. Commonly, cowpea plants and their by-products are important for less-expensive protein-based human and animal diets for less developed countries' livelihoods. [Display omitted] •Cowpea is mostly farmed in Africa as a food and fodder crop.•Cowpea is high in protein, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary fibers, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients.•It's a drought-resistant crop that can be fed to both humans and animals.•The antioxidant activity of polyphenolic chemicals found in cowpea has long been recognized as beneficial to health.