Proximate analysis and mineral composition of some Nigerian leafy vegetables: bitter leaf (Veronia amygdalina L), India spinach (Basella alba L), bush buck (Gongronema latifolium), scent leaf (Ocimium grastissimum), Smooth amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus), Roselle plant (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and fluted pumpkin (Telfaria occidentali) were carried out using standard analytical procedures. The moisture content of the samples ranged between 10.0-12.08 %, crude protein, crude fibre, crude fat, ash contents and carbohydrate ranged between: 46.56 and 66.60, 4.02 and 12.08, 3.51 and 14.02, 5.02 and 15.55, 1.16 and 15.79 % dry matter (DM). Mineral element analysis showed that the leafy vegetables contained high levels of calcium (63.36-110.16), magnesium (27.51-288.65), sodium (15.01-88.00) and potassium (16.85-168.96) and low levels of copper (nd-3.14), nickel (2.32-18.16) and manganese (2.54-10.06) mg/100g respectively. The study showed that the leafy vegetables examined contained high levels of crude protein with low fat content and crude fibres

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The amino acid compositions of Cola acuminata, Garcinia kola and Anacardium occidentale were evaluated by ion-exchange chromatography. Glutamic acid was the most concentrated acid in the samples. In all the amino acids determined, A. occidentale had the most concentrated acid on a pairwise basis. The total amino acids were 356.24 mg/g protein, 112.90 mg/g protein and 659.17 mg/g protein for C. acuminata, G. kola and A. occidentale, respectively. The percentage total essential amino acids were 38.39% (C. acuminata), 47.05% (G. kola) and 51.04% (A. occidentale). Also the percentage total acidic amino acids were 38.16% (C. acuminata), 30.61% (G. kola) and 30.35% (A. occidentale). The calculated isoelectric points were 2.0 (C. acuminata), 0.7 (G. kola) and 3.9 (A. occidentale), showing they can all be precipitated at acidic pH. While threonine was the limiting amino acid in A. occidentale, it was valine in both C. acuminata and G. kola. The percentage cystine (Cys) levels in the total sulphur amino acid were 44.27% (C. acuminata), 37.75% (G. kola) and 50.51% (A. occidentale). The aim of this work was to compare the amino acid profile of the samples. It is recommended that C. acuminata and G. kola consumption be avoided by ulcer patients because of their high levels of acidic amino acids. A. occidentale amino acid scores ranged from 42% to 127%, suggesting that it could be used to enhance the protein quality of cereals through food complementation.

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