Nutritive Evaluation, Mineral Composition, Amino Acid Profile and Phytochemical Analysis of Leaf Protein Concentrates of Bitter Gourd (Mormodica Charantia) (Published)
Fresh green leaves of bitter gourd (Mormodica charantia) were harvested and processed with a view to analyzing its phytochemical constituents and nutritional potentials of the leaf protein extract. Proximate, mineral, amino and phytochemical analyses were determined using standard analytical techniques. The result showed that Mormodica charantia has a Moisture content of 5.11±0.0014g/100g, Ash content 9.66±0.00g/100g,Crude protein 21.30±0.007g/100g, Fat content 7.23±0.00g/100g and Fibre content 9.59±0.04g/100g.The mineral analysis of the sample shows that Mormodica charantia contains Zinc content of 37.55±0.1mg/100g, Magnesium content 62.75±0.14mg/100g and Potassium 26.80±0.00mg/100g. Mormodica charantia also contains Tannin, Saponnin, Alkaloids and some other phytochemical. The results of this analysis showed that this vegetable leaf protein concentrates is a good source of minerals such as Mg,Ca, S and Cu. Based on the findings from this study, Mormodica charantia has numerous nutritional potentials, this implies that it is capable of furnishing man with certain value of daily dietary nutrient requirement and medicinal potentials. It is a kind of plant that is highly indispensable for man use and can be employed for medicinal and drug processes.
Keywords: Mineral, Mormodica charantia, leaf protein concentrates., nutritional potentials, phytochemical analysis