to strengthen the spleen, reduce heat and dampness, and promote appetite. Food tradition in East Africa In Kenya, the bean, known as njahe or njahi, is popular among several communities, especially the Kikuyu. Seasons were actually based on it, i.e., the Season of Njahe (Kīmera kīa njahī). It is thought to encourage lactation and has historically been the main dish for breastfeeding mothers. Beans are boiled and mashed with ripe and/or semi-ripe bananas, giving the dish a sweet taste. Today the production is in decline in eastern Africa. This is partly attributed to the fact that under colonial rule in Kenya, farmers were forced to give up their local bean in order to produce common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) for export. Medicinal use Taiwanese research found that a carbohydrate-binding protein (i.e. a legume lectin) from lablab beans effectively blocks the infections of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2. Gallery Further reading References External links Dolichos bean, Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet by the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India JSTOR Global Plants: Lablab purpureus Phaseoleae Monotypic Fabaceae genera Edible legumes Flora of the Maldives Forages Nitrogen-fixing crops Tropical agriculture Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus sa:निष्पावः