Abstract
Physalis angulata (L.) is an annual herbaceous neglected underutilized species used as vegetable and in herbal medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases in Nigeria. This study evaluated proximate, minerals and amino acids content of P. angulata leaves and fruits using standard methods with the view to understanding its nutritional potential. The leaves and fruits had crude protein content of 27.80 and 10.97 % respectively. The fruits had the highest sodium content of 689.48 mg/100g while, the leaves had the highest content of manganese with 21.60 mg/100g. The result of amino acid analysis indicates that the leaves had isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine + Tyrosine contents of 3.04, 4.36 and 6.38 g/100g protein respectively, which are within WHO ideal protein standard. These components are however low in fruits except phenylalanine + Tyrosine and leucine with 5.22 and 5.16 g/100g protein respectively. Concentration of phytate was 6.91 mg/100g in the leaves and 8.59 mg/100g in the fruits. Similarly, oxalate content was 2.74 and 3.21 mg/100g in the leaves and fruits respectively. Prediction of minerals bioavailability indicates that the concentration of oxalate and phytate may interfere with bioavailability of calcium, zinc and iron. The concentration of [Phytate] / [Zn] in the leaves was comparatively low (5.32) which is an indication for its potential into food-based strategy to alleviate zinc malnutrition. The result of this study indicate that leaves of P. angulata contain substantial amounts of nutrient and suggest its potential as a source of nutrients that could be useful in alleviating micronutrient deficiency.
Highlights
The World Health Organization [1] reported that chronic under nutrition affects over 200 million people or 42% of the population in Sub – Saharan Africa
The moisture content in the samples analysed like other leafy vegetables was low with 8.33 ± 0.12% in leaf and 3.83 ± 0.01% for the fruit
The values are among the highest reported in leafy vegetables when compared to the reported values for some wild leafy vegetables such as Momordica balsamina (11.29±0.07%), Moringa oleifera (20.72%), Lesianthera africana (13.10 – 14.90%) and Leptadenia hastata (19.10%), [18], [19], [20], [21]
Summary
The World Health Organization [1] reported that chronic under nutrition affects over 200 million people or 42% of the population in Sub – Saharan Africa. Malnutrition affects millions people all over the world especially in developing countries. Over nutrition is associated with nutritional transition which is due to urbanization as such the city dwellers consume mostly refined and junk foods [3, 4, [5]. This transition leads to increased risk of non – communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular diseases which were previously known to be the diseases of the developed nations. Investigation on the nutritional content of plant species within a given locality is imperative so as to document its nutritional and anti-nutritional contents with the aim of utilizing the plant as sourceof nutrient that could be useful in addressing mineral deficiencies
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