Nutritional Quality and Mineral Content of Moringa oleifera Lam. Leaves Consumed in Guinea Savannah Vegetation Zones of Nigeria

Abstract

Green leafy vegetables are good sources of food for they are rich in nutritional quality which plays significant physiological role in human body such as stimulating enzymes, antioxidants, reducing diseases such as diabetes, cardiac infarction, cancer and destroying bacteria including Salmonella species, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of the study is to evaluate the nutritional quality and Mineral Content of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves Consumed in Guinea Savannah Vegetation zones of Nigeria. Three fresh and powdered leaves of Moringa oleifera sample of 60 g each were randomly collected from three locations in Guinea Savannah Vegetation Zones via: Abuja (Gwagwalada market) in Southern Guinea Savannah; Katsina (Daura market) in Northern Guinea Savannah and Sokoto (Central market) in Sudan Guinea Savannah of Nigeria, and were analyzed for their nutritional quality and mineral content using standard analytical procedures. Each sample was determined in triplicates and data analyzed with SPSS version 16. The results revealed that Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves from various locations, are highly rich in macro and micro nutrients. The parameters varied in both locations, fresh and dried samples. The proximate composition results of Moringa oleifera Lam, leaves from various locations contain many nutritionally chemical compounds including Protein, Lipids, carbohydrate/sugars and fibers which are excellent functional food source for human and animal feedstock. Mineral element results revealed Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves from the guinea savannah of Nigeria, are rich in minerals and could be utilized as a cheap source of mineral supplements in human and animal diets. Potassium content (351.9±1.3 mg to 367.0±1.4 mg dwb) compared to Sodium values (25.9±0.4-29.9.9±0.5mg, dwb) in the study, leads to a very low Na/K ratio which is a favorable diet nutritionally, that is associated with lower incidence of hypertension. Calcium (586.0±6.6 mg, dwb), is the most abundant mineral element recorded by Abuja sample, East of Gwagwalada market, while Zinc (1.9±1.3 mg, dwb), obtained by Sokoto sample, North of Central market, is the least mineral element in the study. In conclusion, the nutritional quality and mineral contents of Moringa oleifeara Lam. leaves in the studied areas varied in locations, fresh and dried samples and contain an appreciable amount of macro and micro nutrients which are excellent functional food source for human and animal feedstock and can be explored for export as an international commodity.