NUTRITION AND ANTI-NUTRITION COMPONENTS OF TWO POPULAR LESSERKNOWN VEGETABLES IN FARMING COMMUNITIES OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Cross River State, Nigeria, is basically a farming State. However, most of the crops are produced in the northern part of the State from where the three (3) Local Government Areas (Ogoja, Bekwara and Obudu) were chosen for the study. Two lesser-known but commonly consumed leafy vegetables (Ceiba. pentandra and Adenia. cissampeloides) were collected, prepared and analyzed for proximate composition, mineral element contents, toxicants and anti-nutrition contents as well as vitamins. It was observed that much consumption preference (53.66%) is given to C. pentandra than A. cissampeloides (46.34%) as a feed stuff for human. On preference for other uses which was mainly on medicinal value, A. cissampeloides was higher (71.41%). They ascertained that A. cissampeloides, is used for the treatment of lumbago and reduction of blood pressure. Carbohydrate (2.50 g/100g), Total ash (0.15 g/100g) and protein (23.0 g/100g) were seen to be higher in content in A. cissampeloides. Essential oil (3.20 g/100g) and free fatty acid (9.10 g/100g) were more in C. pentandra. Except for iron and copper, C. pentandra, had more of the other elements analyzed for, in this study. All the toxicant and anti-nutrition factors analyzed were higher in A. cissampeloides than C. pentandra. Vitamins A and C were more in A. cissampeloides while C. pentandra had higher contents of B1 and B2. The results of this research show that A. cissampeloides is capable of contributing more energy to people of these farming communities than C. pentandra but, the vegetable must be prepared to remove the high toxicants and anti-nutrition factors before consumption.