Nutrient and anti-nutrient content of selected wild food plants from Ithanga division, Kenya

Abstract

Wild food plants play an important role in the diet of inhabitants of Ithanga Division as famine foods during lean seasons. The area is ASAL, receives unreliable rainfall and frequent drought followed by food insecurity, malnutrition, especially in children less than 5-years-old. Locals use wild food plants to meet nutritional requirements. However, there is lack of data on nutrients in these plants. This study determined nutritional potential of selected wild food plants to enhance utilization and management of moderate malnutrition and food insecurity. Ten samples were collected through random sampling, washed, dried in oven at 60oC, ground into powder and analyzed for proximate composition, nutrient, mineral and tannin contents. Proximate composition varied with moisture content, ranging from 48.33-90.77%, with Cyperus rotundus having lower value of 48.33±0.54 and Oxygonium sinuatum highest value of 90.77% ± 0.54. The crude fibre content on dry weight basis was moderately low, ranging from 6.29-20.73 mg/100 g. The crude protein ranged from 1.68-11.6 mg/100 g, with highest in O. sinuatum and lowest in Lantana camara. Vitamin C and betacarotene were higher in CUumis dipsaceus (50.24±5.13) and Amaranthus dubius (5.24±1.89), while lower in Commelina africana (7.60±0.84) and Lantana camara (0.02±0.01) mg/100g, respectively. Zn content on dwb in Oxygonium sinuatum was 28.15mg/100g) and comparable with or higher than cultivated counterparts. Tannin content ranged from 3169-678mg/100g and was higher in Grewia bicolor and lower in C. dipsaceus, respectively. Thus, the wild food plants are good sources of nutrients and can be utilized to mitigate micro and macronutrient malnutrition to improve food security.