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Food uses of Babul

1)     The pod is used as camel food. Pods and foliage are highly regarded as livestock fodder.

2)     Laboratory testing and human dietary trials on the species grown in Niger have shown that the seed is highly nutritious and safe to eat. Pod seeds are now a valuable part of the diet of people in that area providing much needed insurance against the recurring threat of famine

3)     Pod seeds is in high demand for use as a ground product in pastries and breads and also as a flavor in desserts, especially ice-cream.

4)     It is also used to produce a high quality coffee-like beverage.

5)     Small quantities of Pod seed are exported to the US, Canada, UK, France, Japan and SE Asia.

6)     Babul seeds are extremely nutritious, containing several times the protein of wheat.

7)     Seeds are low glycaemic index foods. The starch is digested and absorbed very slowly, producing a small, but sustained rise in blood glucose and so delaying the onset of exhaustion in prolonged exercise.

8)     Attracts honey bees. Mule deer eat small amounts of leaves, twigs and fruit. Jackrabbits eat leaves, bark and twigs. White-throated woodrats eat flowers and leaves. Seeds are important in the diets of numerous bird species, especially quail and white-winged doves. Several species of desert rodents eat the seeds

Note that because many Babul types are not suitable for food, care needs to be taken in the choice of species when harvesting seed for food. Many coastal and some arid species contain toxic compounds.

Industrial uses of Babul

1)     Ashes of the wood are used in making soap and as a depilatory and tanning agent for hides.