This work on nutrient and phytochemical composition of five wild green leafy vegetables consumed in Erei-Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria was aimed at identifying and determining the nutrient, and phytochemical compositions of Amaranthus viridis (Ikorodotaseach), Aeschylus glabra (Ididieriri), Alphanostylis lepthanta (Emornegbandip), Calcasia saxatilis, (Igbongonokpa) and Lonchocarpus sericeus (Ajuokoh). Analysis of moisture, protein, fiber, ash, fat and carbohydrate, micronutrients and phytochemicals was done using standard methods, while vitamins were done using AOAC, (1995). The data generated were subjected to T-test, standard deviation, standard error of the mean. The result of the proximate analysis showed that Amaranthus viridis had the highest protein value (9.73%) and the lowest carbohydrate value (4.60%) respectively. Aeschylea glabra recorded the highest fat value [9.73%]. The micro nutrient result revealed that copper (CU) and phosphorous (Ph) values were low and that the value for the other micro-nutrient differed significantly with the exception of calcium (Ca) values which did not differed significantly (P < 0.0.05). The vitamins content of the vegetables differed significantly while Amaranthus viridis had the highest value of Vitamin C. The phytochemicals and anti-nutrient contents of the vegetables were moderately high but not higher than the safe levels. Hence they are recommended for consumption.
Green leafy vegetables are good sources of micronutrients [
Considerable information is available on the nutrient composition of most well known and easily cultivated green leafy vegetables. However, there is paucity of information regarding the nutrient composition and use of other edible wild green leafy vegetables. These vegetables are either popular or on the verge of extinction among certain tribes in Nigeria. Some analysis on some of these wild vegetables showed that they are nutrient dense and need further exploitation as sources of food for both man and animal in Nigeria [
The global economic recession precipitated high cost of animal foods such as meat, milk, egg and crayfish as well as some popular green leafy vegetables such as fluted pumpkin (Telfeiria occidentails) and waterleaf (Talinum triangulare). This has stimulated interest of food and nutrition scientists to identify some of the wild green leafy vegetables growing in various ecosystems of Erei-Biase, Cross River State Nigeria. The thrust of this work is to determine the nutrient and chemical composition of some these wild vegetables; to meet the micro-nutrient needs of the people of Biase local Government Area, Cross River State-Nigeria. There is also a need to educate the people on the importance of increasing consumption of these vegetables to improve the nutrient quality of diets of both the children and the adults.
Nigeria is a republic in western Africa, with a coastland along the Atlantic Ocean the Guinea. About one third of Nigeria lies in the watershed of the Nigeria Rivers, which empties into the Atlantic at Niger Delta and its major tributaries. Nigeria vegetation varies at both the national and local level in relation of climate, soil, elevation and human impact on environment (Stock, [
Cross River State has both the mangrove forest which is a natural habitat to water plants and animals and tropical rain forest vegetables. It has the largest forest reserve in Nigeria. Cross River State forest has biodiversity which supports wild plants and animals. Biase Local Government Area is not left out; it has both mangrove and tropical forest vegetables with numerous wild plants. In spite of the availability of these abundant green leafy vegetables, Nigerians still suffer from micronutrient deficiency diseases. This precipitates high incidence of infant and maternal mortality of 94 deaths per 1000 live births [
The general objective if this study to identify and determine the nutrient, anti-nutrient and phyto-chemical composition of these wild green leafy vegetable consumption in Biase Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria. The Specific objectives were to; identify wild/green leafy vegetables and determine the nutrient, anti- nutrient and phyto-chemical potentials of the wild green leafy vegetables.
The pictures of the five (5) wild green leafy vegetables.
The five wild vegetables were gathered from the forest of Erie. Plates 1-5 show the pictures of the vegetables. They included: Amaranthus viridis (Ikorodotaseada), Aeschylea glabra (Ididieriri), Calcasia saxatilis (Igbon-
Plate 1. Amaranthus viridis (Ikorodotaseada).
Plate 2. Aeschylea glabra (Ididieriri).
Plate 3. Culcasia saxatilis (Igbongonokpa).
Plate 4. Aphanostylis leptantha (Emornegbandip).
Plate 5. Lonchocarpus sericeus sericeus (Ajuokoh).
gonokpa), Alphanostylis lepthanta (Emornegbandip) and Lonchocarpus sericeus (Ajuokoh). They were identified by ten-man focus group discussion consisting of elderly men and women of Erie. The vegetables were also identified by their botanical names by two Universities herbaria; Universities of Calabar and Nigeria-Nsukka, respectively.
Moisture, protein, fibre, fat and carbohydrate, micronutrient, anti-nutrient and phyto-chemical compositions of the vegetables were determined by using standard methods [
The proximate analysis of the five wild vegetables shows that there were significant differences across the nutrients (Moisture, Protein, Fibre, Ash, Fat and carbohydrate at 0.001 levels [
Moisture | Protein | Fibre | Ash | Fat | CHO | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amaranthus viridis | 61.68 | 9.73 | 1.04 | 7.13 | 9.71 | 4.60 |
Aeschylea glabra | 61.53 | 9.48 | 1.08 | 7.15 | 9.73 | 5.40 |
Alphanostylis lepthantha | 61.62 | 9.39 | 1.12 | 7.10 | 9.30 | 9.95 |
Culcasiaa saxatilis | 60.24 | 9.18 | 1.14 | 7.22 | 9.64 | 6.94 |
Lonchocarpus sericeus | 61.62 | 9.39 | 1.12 | 7.10 | 9.30 | 79.95 |
t-values | 347.975 | 197.194 | 128.255 | 585.775 | 182.659 | 2.724 |
Standard deviation (S.D.) | 0.683 | 0.185 | 0.333 | 0.047 | 0.202 | 30.378 |
Standard error (S.E.) | 0.176 | 0.04 | 0.009 | 0.012 | 0.052 | 7.884 |
Significance | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Values are means of three replicates. NS―not significant; *Significant at 0.05; **Significant at 0.01; ***Significant at 0.
sition of the vegetables indicated that there was significant difference (Ca, Fe,I2 , Zn, Mg, Mn, K, Ph and Na) [
The difference in nutrient values across the wild vegetables shows variations plants contents of nutrients (Ene-Obong, [
The fibre values of the vegetables (1.04% - 1.14%) were low and comparable to the values observed by other workers [
The vegetables contain appreciable quantities of some phytochemicals like Alkaloids, Saponins and Flavonoids. These phytonutrients are beneficial to the human body in so many ways such as causing cancer cells to die (apoptosis), repair DNA damage caused by smoking and other toxic exposure, lower blood cholesterol (Schiavonei, [
The vegetables had high oxalate values (5.52 - 6.34 mg) than safe level of 2.20 mg/100g [
Ca | Cu | Fe | I2 | Zn | Mg | Mn | K | Ph | Na | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amaranthus viridis | 2.04 | 0.04 | 1.94 | 7.59 | 2.14 | 5.34 | 5.85 | 120.48 | 0.86 | 2.14 |
Aeschylea glabra | 2.10 | 0.04 | 1.72 | 8.73 | 2.06 | 6.46 | 7.41 | 121.10 | 0.36 | 2.06 |
Alphanostylis lepthantha | 2.34 | 0.04 | 1.72 | 8.37 | 2.09 | 5.64 | 7.32 | 120.41 | 0.38 | 2.08 |
Culcasiaa saxatilis | 2.30 | 0.05 | 1.86 | 9.25 | 2.05 | 6.47 | 8.33 | 120.27 | 0.39 | 2.05 |
Lonchocarpus sericeus | 2.06 | 0.04 | 1.86 | 9.46 | 2.16 | 6.15 | 6.20 | 120.42 | 0.36 | 2.16 |
t-values | 2.07 | 14.19 | 77.36 | 49.27 | 167.26 | 49.76 | 29.28 | 1539.97 | 8.91 | 166.76 |
Standard deviation (S.D.) | 0.83 | 0.11 | 0.09 | 0.68 | 0.49 | 0.47 | 0.93 | 0.30 | 0.20 | 0.49 |
Standard error (S.E.) | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.82 | 8.67 | 2.10 | 6.01 | 7.02 | 120.54 | 0.47 | 2.10 |
Significance | NS | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Values are means of three replicates; NS―not significant; *Significant at 0.05; **Significant at 0.01; ***Significant at 0.001.
Plant species | Vitamin A | Vitamin C | Vitamin E |
---|---|---|---|
Amaranthus viridis | 1.24 | 7.13 | 0.25 |
Aeschylea glabra | 1.04 | 5.72 | 0.23 |
Alphanostylis lepthantha | 1.24 | 6.93 | 0.25 |
Culcasiaa saxatilis | 1.15 | 5.32 | 0.24 |
Lonchocarpus sericeus | 1.14 | 6.62 | 0.24 |
t-values | 57.81 | 33.73 | 86.60 |
Standard deviation (S.D.) | 0.08 | 0.73 | 0.11 |
Standard error (S.E.) | 0.02 | 0.19 | 0.00 |
Significance | *** | *** | *** |
Values are means of three replicates; NS―not significant; *Significant at 0.05; **Significant at 0.01; ***Significant at 0.001.
Plant species | Alkaloids | Flavonoids | HCN | Oxalates | Phytates | Tannins | Saponns |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amaranthus viridis | 2.31 | 3.45 | 1.15 | 5.52 | 2.02 | 2.40 | 0.55 |
Aeschylea glabra | 2.29 | 3.09 | 1.18 | 5.54 | 2.27 | 2.59 | 0.45 |
Alphanostylis lepthantha | 2.21 | 3.75 | 1.23 | 5.87 | 2.05 | 2.85 | 0.65 |
Culcasiaa saxatilis | 2.18 | 3.38 | 1.29 | 6.34 | 2.43 | 2.95 | 0.30 |
Lonchocarpus sericeus | 2.08 | 4.21 | 1.34 | 4.77 | 2.37 | 2.76 | 0.35 |
t-values | 99.32 | 35.18 | 65.16 | 40.83 | 49.71 | 51.86 | 13.43 |
Standard deviation (S.D.) | 0.09 | 0.39 | 0.07 | 0.53 | 0.17 | 0.20 | 0.13 |
Standard error (S.E.) | 0.02 | 0.10 | 0.02 | 0.14 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 0.03 |
Significance | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** | *** |
Values are means of three replicates; NS―not significant; *Significant at 0.05; **Significant at 0.01; ***Significant at 0.001.
The five wild green leafy vegetables contain appreciable amount of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and phyto- chemicals which are beneficial to the human body. Low phytates and fairly high tannin values could help in wound healing, anti-diarrheal and anti heamorrhodial effects. The low hydrogen cyanide indicated that the vegetables are safe and justified to be consumed as vegetables.
Ngozi Uchechi Ukam,Mary Achi Mgbekem,Roseline Edide,Ikemefuna Christopher Obizoba, (2016) Nutrient and Phytochemical Composition of Five Wild Green Leafy Vegetables Consumed in Erie-Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. Food and Nutrition Sciences,07,817-823. doi: 10.4236/fns.2016.79082