5 Hunger-Crushing Foods You've Never Heard Of...

They're not your typical salad fodder, but each of these vegetables (and one lucky fruit) is playing a role in the fight against world hunger. The Christian Science Monitor gives the rundown:

• Guar: Because of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria in this legume's roots, farming guar is great for improving the quality of soil. Its seed is a great source of protein, and efforts are under way to encourage farmers in Zimbabwe to plant the crop.

• Spider Plant: Though it's considered a weed by many, young leaves of this nutritious "African cabbage" are harvested and eaten like spinach, particularly in southern Africa.
• Celosia: This small, flowering plant basically seeds and sprouts itself, and it can withstand both hot and humid and dry conditions.
• African Eggplant: This fruit is most often picked at a young and green stage and treated like a vegetable; you'll find it cooked in stews. Though it's composed of 92% water, it provides vitamins B and C, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, and potassium.

Click to read about vegetable No. 5. (More hunger stories.)