Amino Acid Composition of Ten Commonly Eaten Indigenous Leafy Vegetables of South-West Nigeria

The amino acid distribution patterns of ten indigenous leafy vegetables commonly eaten in South-West Nigeria were evaluated and compared using ion exchange chromatography. The vegetables studied were: Talinium triangulare (gbure), Basella alba (amunututu), Telfaria occidentalis (ugwu), Occium gratissimum (efinrin), Corchorus olitorius (ewedu), Solanum macrocarpon (igbagba), Vernonia amyldalina (ewuro), Amaranthus cruenthus (arowojeja), Solanecio biafrae (worowo), and Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (iyana ipaja).Amongst the seventeen amino acids investigated in the vegetables, aspartic acid was highest in concentration with an average concentration of 10.91 g/100g of crude protein (cp) while cysteine was lowest (with an average of 0.602 g/100g (cp) on a dry weight basis, the leaves that contained the highest total amino acids (TAA) was Telfaria occidentalis (72.55 g/100g) of crude protein (cp) followed by Solanecio biafrae (72.47 g/100g)cp with Vernonia amygdalina being the lowest (63.59g/100g)cp. While the limiting essential amino acid was methionine 0.83g/gcp, leucine (with an average of 0.74g/gcp) was the most abundant essential amino acid (EAA). The average percentage distribution of different group of amino acidsincludes: essential (30.23%); non-essential (52.64%); neutral (56.36%); acidic (28.56%); basic (15.00%) and aromatic (10.12%). This shows that the vegetables are rich in different groups of amino acids and good sources of quality protein and amino acids.

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