Chemical and nutritional characterization of edible Heinsia crinita, Xylopia aethiopica, Piper guineense, Monodora myristica and Dorstenia convexa plants from Angola

Abstract

The endemic plants from Angola, Heinsia crinita (H. critina), Xylopia aethiopica (X. aethiopica), Piper guineense (P. guineense), Monodora myristica (M. myristica), and Dorstenia convexa (D. convexa) play a significant role in traditional medicine and culinary applications. The aim of this study is to carry out a comprehensive nutritional characterization of different parts from five plants. Results showed the nutrient and elemental composition of these plants varies significantly, with the two types of roots containing abundant carbohydrates (43.48 % in D. convexa), while the seeds and pods are rich in proteins and lipids, among the highest content in M. myristica, 13.70 % and 38.07 %, respectively. The highest concentrations of essential amino acids (EAAs) were leucine, with the limiting types being methionine, cysteine and valine, among that H. crinita root had the highest EAAs (39.45 %). A total of 33 fatty acids were identified from these plants, of which oleic acid (C18:1n9) and linoleic acid (C18:2n6) were the major monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs, PUFAs), respectively, while C24:1n9 was found only in the P. guineense seeds and broken X. aethiopica pods. All plants are particularly rich in potassium (K), while zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are the main microminerals. As for antioxidant capability, the whole X. aethiopica pods showed the best level in 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing (FRAP), while D. convexa roots contained the best performance in trolox equivalent (TEAC). In conclude, these plants can be excavated to apply in food flavors and supplement, making them to further commercialize.