PROXIMATE AND ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS EVALUATION OF TWO INDIGENOUS VEGETABLES: COMMELINA AFRICANA AND AMARANTHUS THUNBERGII FROM AINAMOI DIVISION, KERICHO COUNTY

Abstract

In Kenya there are many indigenous leafy vegetables available. Despite this there is inadequate information on their nutritional diversity and how they can best be used in reducing malnutrition. This study was carried out to investigate the nutritional and mineral diversity of Amaranthus thunbergii and Commelina africana. The vegetables were harvested 3-4 weeks after germination during the rainy season in various farms in Ainamoi, Kericho County. Soil samples where the vegetables grow were also collected. A total of one kilogram of each vegetable sample was collected. The samples were hand washed with tap water to remove soil particles and oven dried at 60 0C for 24 hours. They were then reduced to fine powder using a mechanical blender. The vegetables were analyzed for their proximate contents using Association Official of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods. Mineral concentration was determined using AAS and colorimetry. The soil samples were analyzed for the minerals in order to compare it’s correlation with that in the vegetables. The results showed that moisture content was lower in Commelina africana (4.13%) than in Amaranthus thunbergii (4.25%) Commelina africana had a higher protein content (16.05%).The fat content of Amaranthus thunbergii (4.69%) was significantly higher than that of Commelina africana (1.72%). The crude fiber content 9.02% and 10.87% for Amaranthus thunbergii and Commelina africana respectively. These were comparable with that of other vegetables. The minerals detected in the vegetables and in the soil samples were phosphorous, iron, calcium sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese zinc and cobalt in decreasing order of concentrations. The transfer factors of minerals from the soil to the vegetables ranged from 0.59 (Mg) to 0.90 (Ca) for Commelina africana while for Amaranthus thunbergii it ranged from 0.20 (Co) to 0.92 (Ca). The results obtained in this study indicate that the two vegetables are a good source of key nutrients, which can be used in mitigation of malnutrition and providing alternative cheaper food sources. It also shows that the mineral in the soil were transferred to the vegetables