Abstract
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) is widely used as a source of food and also has rich fibre and nutritional values. Hence, this research aimed at determining the phytochemical, proximate content as well as glycemic index and glycemic load of four varieties of Bambara groundnut found in Alkalere area of Bauchi State northeastern Nigeria for possible nutritional and medicinal utilization. Seeds of Bambara groundnut varieties were processed by heating at 60°C and cooled then grinded into powder using a mechanical grinder. The flour was used for phytochemical and proximate analysis as well as glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) determinations. The results revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, steroids, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids and flavonoids in all the varieties while anthraquinones was not detected in all the four varieties. Proximate analysis showed high contents of carbohydrates and protein with low ash content in all the four varieties. The study also found that black seeds of Bambara groundnut had the lowest GI of 66.1 and GL at 1.33 while Brown-black seeds Bambara groundnut was the highest values in GI 75.6 and GL 1.51, respectively. The study for the first time reported the GI and GL differed among varieties with different seed color of different varieties of Bambara groundnut where a black seed variety of Bambara groundnuts possessed some good qualities for use in the nutritional management of blood glucose likely for diabetic patients. Key words: Bambara groundnut, phytochemical properties, proximate, glycemic index, glycemic load.
Highlights
The formulated feed containing seed flour of Bambara groundnut varieties composed seed flour (56%), cray-fish (20%), vegetable oil (5%), rice bran (4%), sucrose (10%), and vitamin/mineral mixture (5%), respectively while the basal feed composed of the same ingredients as the experimental feeds except for Bambara groundnut seed flour was replaced with corn-flour (56%) as described by Olubunmi et al (2017)
The phytochemical contents of 4 varieties of Bambara groundnut (Brown-black, Red, Brown and black) are shown in Table 1, saponins, tannins, steroids, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids and flavonoids were detected in all the varieties while anthraquinones were not detected in all the 4 varieties
The red and black seeds are highest in carbohydrate content whereas, brown-black and brown seeds are highest in protein content
Summary
Verdc or Voandzeia subterranea) is one of the food legumes It is an indigenous leguminous African crop that is grown across the continent (Olanipekun et al, 2012). The traditional use of Bambara groundnut seeds in treatment/management of several ailments is remarkable and presents a gap for detailed study on the therapeutic and pharmaceutical value of the crop (Harris et al, 2018). For example as a treatment/management for diarrhea, a mixture of Bambara groundnut seeds and water from boiled maize are consumed. Other prophylactic and therapeutic use of Bambara groundnut seeds includes protein deficiency kwashiorkor, veneral diseases, polymenorrhea (roasted BGN seeds are used), internal bruising, and cataracts (mixture of water and crushed BGN seeds are used (Olanipekun et al, 2019)
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