Nutritional and Minerals Composition of Dioscorea bulbifera collected from Lapan, Shongom Local Government Area, Gombe State.

Abstract

Nutrients are substances that play important roles in maintaining the normal functions of the human body. The major nutrients present in foods include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Minerals are biological components of diets that perform biochemical and physiological functions in living cells through synergistic interactions and/or independent modulation of biological reactions. Studies on the nutritional and mineral compositions of staple foods will provide evidence to regulate intake of certain common foods for an optimal health conditions. This present study was aimed at determining the proximate and some minerals composition of D. bulbifera. The standard analytical procedure was used for all the parameters. The nutritional (protein, carbohydrate, fibre, ash, moisture, and lipid) and minerals composition (sodium, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus, cobalt, manganese, and magnesium) parameters were evaluated as follows: total carbohydrate (68.47+0.7%), crude protein (18.00+0.50%), minute crude lipid (1.88+0.08%), crude fiber (2.79+0.98%), ash content (5.20+0.26%), moisture content (3.66+0.07%),phosphorus (174mg/kg), magnesium (472mg/kg), sodium (560mg/kg), manganese (156.5mg/kg), iron (568mg/kg), copper (ND) and cobalt (89mg/kg). Findings suggest that the low carbohydrate content and high protein content shows that D. bulbifera is good source of protein nutrient and staple food for diabetics. However, low mineral compositions were reported. Therefore, there is a need for intense cultivation of improved variety for minerals intake from the yam by the consumer.