Nutritional Evaluation of Some Selected Spices Commonly Used in the South-Eastern Part of Nigeria

Abstract

Proximate composition, vitamin contents and mineral contents of four commonly used spices in the south-eastern part of Nigeria were investigated. The spices are Myristica fragrans, Rosmarinus officinalis, Monodora myristica and Piper guineense._. Proximate analysis showed moisture contents of 10.83% in Rosmarinus officinalis, 12.78% in Monodora myristica and  12.35% in piper guineense .crude fibre contents ranged from 8.79% in (Piper guineense) to 14.26% in Rosmarinus officinalis. Crude fat ranged from 3.48% in Rosmarinus officinalis to 13.34% in Myristica fragrans. Crude protein ranged from 5.86% in Piper guineense to 14.30 in Rosmarinus officinalis; while carbohydrate content ranged from 41.57% in Myristica fragrans to 57.32% in Piper guineense. Ash content ranged from 6.33% (Piper guineense) to 11.78% in Rosmarinus officinalis. All samples had high contents of dry matter. The analysis for the vitamin contents of the spices showed the presence of vitamin A, B₁, B₂, B₃ and vitamin C. All four samples had high concentrations of vitamin C. The B complex vitamins for the four samples were of low concentration. The vitamin A levels ranged from (7.08 µg/g) in Piper guineense to 14.87 µg/g in Rosmarinus officinalis. The test for mineral content of the four samples showed that the spices contain calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and iron. The calcium concentration of the four spices are quite high. Also the spices contain high concentrations of phosphorus. Piper guineense contains the lowest potassium level of (98.52 mg/100g) when compared with Myristica fragrans, Monodora myristica and Rosmarinus officinalis which posses (334.78 mg/100g, 316.64 mg/100g and 343.82 mg/100g) respectively. Magnesium content ranged from 35.54 mg/100g in Piper guineense to 85.66 mg/100g in Rosmarinus officinalis. The iron (Fe) concentrations appeared to be the lowest compared with other minerals in all the spices.

Keywords: Nutritional, evaluation, selected, commonly, spices.