Evaluation of the Nutritionally Valuable Mineral Composition of Moringa oleifera Leaf

Abstract

Moringa plant parts are edible and considered as a highly nutritive vegetable globally. In this study, the essential nutrient elements, solid organic matter content (SOM) and phenolic compound of Moringa oliefera leaf extract obtained from two different zones of Plateau State, Nigeria was determined using standard laboratory procedures. The results obtained revealed that samples (A and B) of leaves of Moringa oleifera contained various quantities of valuable nutritive mineral elements such as chloride (14.49 mg per g and 13.44 mg per g), sodium (13.07 mg per g and 11.85 mg per g), Sulphate (13.07 mg per g and 11.85 mg per g), potassium (2.57 mg per g and 2.28 mg per g), calcium (2.57 mg per g and 2.28 mg per g), magnesium (5.59 mg per g and 5.67 mg per g), respectively while others such as ammonium, phosphate and iron had varying concentrations of valuable nutritional elements. There is no significant difference in the mineral contents of both samples. It also has high percentages of SOM of 81 and 82% in samples A and B as well as phenolics contents of 701.90 µg per g and 641.34 µg per g, respectively. These minerals are vital in the development and maintenance of the human health because the human body needs both macro and micro elements for its metabolism and proper development. Therefore, the Moringa oleifera plant could be an important source of essential elements of the human diet and could resolve some health-related issues due to high content of phenolics which contained antioxidant, anti-bacterial as well as anti-fungal properties.