Nutrient composition of some lesser known green leafy vegetables in Nsukka Lga of Enugu State
Paper Details
Nutrient composition of some lesser known green leafy vegetables in Nsukka Lga of Enugu State
Abstract
Plants, including some lesser known vegetables (LKVs), have been implicated to be of several health benefits to mankind. Although LKVs are regular components of traditional meals, their nutritional and health benefits were orally handed down from one generation to another. The results of this study show that Mucuna pruriens had the least ash content of 0.14% while Myrianthus arboreus had the highest ash content of 6.61%. The protein composition of the vegetables varied from 9.87 to 17.42%. Fat was least in Ficus capensis and highest in Pterocarpus santalinoides. Pterocarpus santalinoides also, had the highest fibre content of 14.73% while Ficus thonningii had the least (5.96%). Moisture content of the vegetables was least in Vitex doniana (21.14%) and highest in Myrianthus arboreus (57.92%). Myrianthus arboreus recorded the least amount of carbohydrate (14.31%) while Videx doniana had the highest amount of 47.42%. Vitamin A and C were least in Videx doniana (0.53mg/100g) and Pterocarpus santalinoides (9.34mg/100g) respectively; while Ficus capensis and Videx doniana had the highest Vitamin A and C values of 6.25mg/100g and 91.28mg/100g respectively. Mineral analysis results showed that Ficus thonningii and Videx doniana had the least iron and calcium contents of 0.51 and 9.52mg/100g respectively. However, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Ficus capensis had the highest iron and calcium contents of 5.08 and 158.58mg/100g respectively. Vitamin A, carbohydrate, vitamin C, iron and calcium decreased when cooked and increased when shade dried in most of the vegetables.
Adeniyi SA, Ehiagbonare JE, Nwangwu SCO. 2012. Nutritional evaluation of some staple leafy vegetables in Southern Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural and Food Science 2(2), 37-43
Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). 2000. Folic acid. In Official Methods of analysis, 16th ed. Washington, DC: Association of Official Analytical Chemists.
Dhellot JR, Matouba E, Maloumbi MG, Nzikou JM, Safou-Ngoma DG, Linder M, Desobry S, Parmentier M. 2006. Extraction, chemical composition and Nutritional characterization of vegetable oils: Case of Amaranthus hybridus (Var 1 and 2) of Congo Brazzaville. African Journal of Biotechnology. 5(11), 1095-1101.
Fayemi PO. 1999 Nigerian Vegetables. Heins educational book, Ibadan, Nigeria. Ihekoronye AI and Ngoddy PO. 1985. Integrated Food Science and Nutrition for the Tropics. Macmillian, London, England. pp 144-306.
Lewis WM and Elvin-Lewis MPF. 1998. Plants affecting man’s Health. Medical botany (John Wiley and sons).
Manyham BV, Dhanasekaranand M and Hare TA 2004. Neuroprotective effects of the antiparkison drug of Mucuna pruriens. Phytotherapy Research. 18, 706-712.
Mensah JK, Okoli RI and Obaju-Obodo JO. 2008. Phytochemical, medicinal and nutritional properties of some green leafy vegetables. African Journal of Biotechnology. 5 (12), 758.
Oduse KA, Idowu MA and Adegbite AA. 2012. Chemical and Phytochemical Profile of Some Uncommon Green Leafy Vegetables Consumed In South West, Nigeria Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology 1, (3), 22-26.
Oguche Gladys HE. 2011. Effect of Drying Methods on Chemical Composition of Spinach “Aieifo” (Amaranthus aquatica) and Pumpkin Leaf (Telfairia occidentalis) and their Soup Meals. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 10, 1061-1065.
Okafor JC. 1983. Horticulturally promising indigenous wild plants species of the Nigerian Forest Zone. Acts Horticulture. 123,165-177.
Pearson D. 1976. Chemical analysis of food, 7th edition, churchill, London, 7-11.
Osunde ZD and Musa MAL. 2007. Assessment of Changes in Nutritional Values of Locally Sun-Dried Vegetables AU J.T. 10(4), 248-253.
Sheela K, Nath KG, Vijayalakshmi D, Yankanchi GM and Patil RB. 2004. Proximate Composition of Underutilized Green Leafy Vegetables in Southern Karnataka Journal of Human Ecolology. 15(3), 227-229
Sofowora A. 1993. Medicinal plants and Traditional medicines in Africa, Lagos – Nigeria: Spectrum books limited; Standardization of Herbal Medicines. 3,55-61.
Thompson HC and Kelly WC. 1990. Vegetable Crops. 5th Ed. New Delhi: Mac Graw Hill Publishing Company Ltd, 120-125.
Udofia US, and Obizoba IC 2005. Effect of traditional processing techniques on leafy vegetable and starchy staple and their uses in traditional soups and dishes as consumed in Akwa Ibom State. Journal of Biochemical Investigation. 3, 1-5
Ukwuani AN, Salihu S, Anyanwu FC, Yanah YM, Samuel R. 2012. Antidiarrhoeal Activity of Aqeous Leaves Extract of Vitex doniana. International Journal of Toxicological and Pharmacological Research. 4(3), 40-44.
G.T.O. Otitoju, J.U. Nwamarah, O. Otitoju, L.U. Iyeghe, 2014. Nutrient composition of some lesser known green leafy vegetables in Nsukka Lga of Enugu State. J. Biodiv. Environ. Sci., 4(4), 233-239.
Copyright © 2014 by the Authors. This article is an open access article and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.