Studies on the Nutritional, Mineral Composition, Mineral Ratio and Anti-nutritional Molar Ratio of Six Underutilized Wild Edible Vegetables in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Aim: Fruits and common vegetables are now becoming too expensive for the poor consumers in Nigeria. The search for cheap, readily available and (locally sourced for the people in need of) nutritious food prompted this research work. Study Design: Six underutilized wild vegetables (Solanum microcarpon, Strichium sparganophora, Crassocephalum crepidiodes, Solanum nigrum, Myrianthus arboreus and Sterculia tragacantha) from Ado- Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria were evaluated for their nutritional, mineral and anti-nutritional potentials. Place and Duration of Study: The collection of the samples were done in the month of December, 2020 in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria and air dried for three weeks. Methodology: Young shoots of five indigenous vegetables were collected, washed thoroughly, air dried, pulverized and analysed using standard methods of AOAC. Results: The proximate analyses of the vegetables indicated that the moisture content, ash, fat, crude fiber, crude protein and carbohydrates ranged as follows: 6.17-8.85%, 4.73-6.59 %, 2.00-3.13%, 3.89-7.27%, 7.77-12.23% and 63.84-70.61% respectively. The total energy ranged from 1,367.85 to 1,467.85KJ/100g with low Coefficient of Variation (CV%) of 2.22. Mineral contents are of the following order K>Mg>Ca> P>Na>Fe>Zn. The result of the mineral ratio showed that the calculated mineral ratio for Na/K, K/ Na, Ca/P, Ca/Mg, Ca/K, Zn/Cu and [K/(Ca+Mg)] were below the critical level. The calculated mineral safety indexes (MSI) were lower than the tabulated values. The anti-nutrient contents (Cyanide, Saponins, and Oxalate) were below the threshold levels, Conclusion: Low MSI means that the vegetables could not pose health risk when consumed. The low anti-nutrient contents of the samples is an indication that the consumer would not suffer from mineral overload. The nutrition and mineral potentials of these vegetables could suggest their uses as nutritional supplements and are highly promising for food security and sustainability for the populace.