Effects of supplementing ragi (Eleusine coracana) diets with lysine or leaf protein on the growth and nitrogen metabolism of children.

Cereals, including the millets, are the major source of protein in the diet of the
people of Asia and Africa. The protein quality of such grains has been shown to be
greatly improved by supplementation with the limiting amino acids, singly or in
mixtures (see review by Venkat Rao, Joseph, Swaminathan & Parpia, 1964). Ragi
(Eleusine coracana), a widely cultivated millet in South India, is a major ingredient of
the common diets in the region. This millet is reported to be deficient in lysine
(Balasubramanian, Ramachandran, Viswanatha & De, I ~ C J ) , which suggests the possibility
of improving the quality of diets based on ragi by supplementing them with lysine.
A recent review of the work on leaf protein over the last three decades has focused
attention on the possibility of producing nutritionally adequate, protein-rich materials
directly from green vegetation (Pirie, 1966). Work in this laboratory has further shown
that the lysine content of leaf protein made from lucerne (Medicago satiua) is adequate
for rats (Shurpalekar, Singh & Sunderavalli, 1966), and also suggested the possibility
of greatly increasing the yield of food protein from the land by the production of
edible protein from leaves (Singh, 1966). This background of information suggested
that the lysine-deficient diets could be improved by supplements of leaf protein.
Studies, were therefore undertaken to investigate the effects of supplementing the common South Indian diets based on ragi, with L-lysine or with leaf protein made
from lucerne on the growth, general nutritional status and nitrogen metabolism in
children; the results are now presented.