Nutritional Assessment and Mineral Composition of Some Selected Edible Vegetables

Aims: The present study aimed to assess the nutritional significance of some of the commonly consumed vegetables collected from Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Study Design: The study was designed in randomized block design and each analysis was performed with three replicates.

Place and Duration of Study: Kohat University of Science & Technology, Kohat and the duration of the study was one year.

Methodology: Present study was conducted to determine the nutritional importance of the commonly consumed vegetable viz. Amaranthus caudatus, Lathyrus aphaca, Abelmoschus esculenthus, Solanum melongena, Raphanus sativus and Brassica rapa. These vegetable species were evaluated for their nutritional values and mineral composition. By the nutritional analysis of these vegetable species, the total proteins, fats, carbohydrates, ash, and moisture contents were evaluated, whereas the macro-elements (Mg and Na) and micro-elements (Fe, Cu, Pb, Mn, Cr, and Cd) were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric method.

Results: The moisture content was found to be highest in R. sativus (13.59%±0.01), whereas A. caudatus was found to be highest in crude fats (2.91%±0.01), ash content (24.16% ± 0.03) and the protein value (15.65% ± 0.02). The fiber analysis indicated the highest value in A. esculenthus (30.93%±0.03), whereas B. rapa was found to be highest in the content of carbohydrates (86.65%±0.02) and thus the energy value was also calculated to be highest in B. rapa (352.52 ± 0.09). A. caudatus was also separated from the rest of the vegetables based on principal component analysis. 3-D component plot and rotated component matrix showed that this separation was due to variations in Pb and protein contents.

Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that Amaranthus caudatus and Raphanus sativus are the most balanced sources with respect to nutritional values and mineral composition, as both of them were found to contain the highest content of essential nutrients and the mineral elements (macro and micro-elements).