Abstract



The present research was carried out to determine the Nutritional and chemical analysis of nine selected leafy vegetables mostly consumed in Mubi region of Adamawa State, Nigeria. These vegetables were as follows, Balanites aegyptiaca, Adansonia digitata, Phaseolus vulgaris, Corchurus olitorius, Abelmoscus esculentum, Allium cepa, Cassia tora, Cerathuceca sesemoides, Gynandropsis gynandra. All the samples were randomly collected from three different local Governments Areas; Mubi North, Mubi-South and Uba area. The elemental analysis was carried out using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), to analyze the levels of essential minerals (Cu, Fe, Ca, Zn, Mg, Mn and Na). The Nutritional components of the studied vegetables revealed that all the samples contain moisture (35.50-65.30%), ash (11.00-1.25%), crude fibre (12.70-27.50%), crude lipid (1.90-13.40%), crude protein (6.20-30.20%) and carbohydrate (1.65-10.80%). The result showed the presence of mineral elements in all samples. Iron, was not detected in all the samples, except in Gynandropsis gynandra (0.31±0.014mg/kg) and cassia tora (8.00±0.035mg/kg) respectively. The result for vitamins showed that ceratotheca sesemoides has a higher concentration of vitamin A and C. Hence, on comparison with the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), these vegetables contain an appreciable amount of nutrients, minerals and vitamins.