Dietary Intake of Selected Common Vegetable Foods and their Total Carotenoids Determination

Abstract

Problem Statement: Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) remains widespread in many countries including Jordan, mainly due to inadequate dietary intake of vitamin A and carotenoids. Approach: Few researches on carotenoid content in vegetables and fruits are carried out. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary intake of selected common foods among a sample of adult Jordanians, by using Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and to analyze the carotenoid contents in selected vegetable foods by using UV spectrophotometry . Results: Among the total sample of 200 adults men and women, the consumption per person per week of rice was 21.1 serving, olive oil 20.9 serving, fresh carrot 13.6 serving, tomato 8.28 serving, mint 6.63 serving, chickpea 5.07 serving and parsley 5.03 serving. The total carotenoid contents were found in high concentrations in mint 25.2 mg 100 g −1 , parsley 21.8 mg 100g −1 , mallow 12.6 mg 100 g −1 and carrot 8.79 mg 100g −1 . Zucchini, okra, tomato and green beans also contained appreciable amounts of carotenoids 3.38, 2.54, 2.19 and 1.97 mg 100 g −1 , respectively. Eggplant had the lowest content of carotenoids 0.48 mg 100g −1 . Conclusions: These finding could help the meal planning at a community level by including such high content of carotenoid vegetables in meals, which will lead to decrease the incidence of vitamin A deficiency disease. Further studies in this concern is highly recommended to solve such problem worldwide .

Carotenoids in Green Vegetables and Health Aspects

“…Some interventions to improve vitamin A and overall health status have identified indigenous sources of β-carotene-containing plants (including GLVs), to provide supplemental vegetables [31,[44][45][46]. Using gerbils as an animal model, researchers studied the ability of GLVs indigenous to Africa to maintain vitamin A status.…”

“…Researchers continue to identify and quantify nutrients, carotenoids, and other phytochemicals in various GLVs found throughout the world [26][27][28][29][30][31]. Wild GLVs found in South Africa are a potential source of nutritious food with negligible cost [30].…”

“…To help prevent vitamin A deficiencies among people in Jordan, researchers determined carotenoid levels in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables native to their region [31]. Using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), researchers determined the characteristic foods in the diets of Jordanians and the best sources of carotenoids.…”

Colors in the dark

“…In carrot ( Daucus carota ), the molecular scenario must be very different as carrots accumulate carotenoids in the roots during dark conditions. Carrots are one of the vegetables that accumulate the most carotenoids, alongside mint and parsley ( Qudah, 2008 ). How carotenoid biosynthesis occurs in the dark in carrot roots and what other components are involved are not well understood.…”

Antioxidative and antitumor properties ofin vitro-cultivated broccoli (Brassica oleraceavar.italica)

“…Plants are a good source of many antioxidants such are ascorbate, carotenoids, tocopherols, and phenolics. These antioxidants scavenge free radicals, inhibit the oxidation of lipid, or act as preventive antioxidants, which slow the rate of oxidation by several actions but do not convert free radicals (Ou et al, 2002;Othman et al, 2007;El-Qudah, 2008;Semalty et al, 2009).…”