Comparative Investigation of Nutrients and Valuable Minerals in Various Parts of Horseradish (Moringa oleifera. Lam) Plant

Abstract

The present study was carried out to assess and evaluate the distribution of minerals and nutritional composition of various parts of Moringa oleifera plant (Horseradish or Drumstick tree popularly called Ewe-igbale in Yoruba language) which were investigated with the aim of ascertaining the various compositions of nutrients and nutritionally valuable minerals. The Moringa oleifera plant used in this work was obtained from Afao-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. The proximate composition was carried out using the AOAC methods while minerals were analysed using x-ray diffraction fluorescence spectroscopic technique as Sodium and potassium were determined using flame atomic spectroscopy. The results of the analyses showed that the various parts of the plant contained high percentage of nutritional components as well as macro and micro elements of nutritional important. The respective plant parts contained higher concentration of one important nutritional component or the other. The nutritional composition showed that Protein and Fat content of the seed (33.87% and 40.61%) respectively are higher than other parts of the plant as ash content of the root (15.04%) is far higher than all the other parts of the plant. Sodium and potassium proportions were higher in the bark (3150mg/100mL and 7690mg/100mL) and root (3160mg/100ml and 6740mg/100ml) respectively than in the other parts of the plant. Calcium, another important element and manganese were higher in the leaf than other parts of the plant. These results actually showed that the Moringa oleifera plant is a rich source of nutritionally valuable minerals, protein and fat, which are of great nutritional importance.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera, plant parts, nutritional composition, elements composition.