Studies on nutritive value and antioxidant properties of three neglected leafy vegetables of Cote d’Ivoire

Abstract

African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) represent cheap and available foods to the poor both in urban and rural areas where malnutrition is widespread. Nevertheless, scientific report on their nutritive potential is scanty. In order to contribute to their wider utilization and valorization, three neglected leafy vegetables (Cleome gynandra, Solanum nigrum and Vernonia amygdalina) have focused our attention. The nutritive properties of these leafy vegetables were investigated and the results obtained were as follow: moisture (80.17-88.23%), crude proteins (16.04-24.21%), crude fiber (19.75-36.25%), ash (11.80-18.77%), carbohydrates (28.62-38.81%), lipids (4.30-6.50%) and food energy (213.40-232.46 kcal/100 g). The mineral elements contents were: calcium (422.03-739.82 mg/100 g), potassium (3100.41-3203.25 mg/100 g), phosphorus (493.97-713.17 mg/100 g), magnesium (208.68-242.99 mg/100 g), iron (31.30-55.25 mg/100 g) and zinc (24.21-42.30 mg/100 g). These leafy vegetables also contained appreciable levels of vitamin C (14.17-93.33 mg/100 g) and polyphenols (77.71-163.69 mg/100 g). The studied leafy vegetables highlighted antioxidant activity varying from 43.01 to 86.65%. All these results suggest that the studied leafy vegetables if consume in sufficient amount would contribute greatly to the nutritional requirement for human health and to the food security of Ivorian population.