Nutrient composition of leaves and seeds in selected African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs): Potential for addressing malnutrition in children under five in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 64 million children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition due to chronic poverty, climate change and reliance on nutrient-deficient staple foods, such as maize, which is commonly used as a weaning food. To mitigate the burden of malnutrition, resource-poor households should utilize readily available, nutritious, and climate-resilient raw materials to fortify weaning foods and improve child nutrition.

Aims: This study aimed to provide scientific evidence that the malnutrition among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa may be alleviated by utilizing locally available raw materials for the fortification of weaning foods. The findings are intended to inform nutritionists in designing food-based approaches and community-level interventions to reduce child malnutrition. Additionally, food technologists may apply this information in formulating weaning foods or incorporating it into local nutritional databases for food fortification. The data may also be utilized in therapeutic feeding programs for children suffering from acute malnutrition.

Subjects and Methods: The leaves and seeds of widely consumed African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs)—Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Amaranthus spinosus and Cleome gynandra—were analyzed for proximate composition (crude protein, ash, crude fiber and crude fat), macro-minerals (calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and potassium) and micro-minerals (iron, manganese, and zinc). The mean nutritional composition for each sample was statistically compared within and across species to ascertain significant differences.

Results: The results indicate that AIVs are rich in macronutrients, macro-minerals and micro-minerals essential for the development of children under five, which often lacking in commonly used weaning foods. The leaves exhibited higher protein and ash content compared to the seeds, while the seeds showed significantly higher crude fat levels than the leaves (p < 0.05). The lowest crude fiber content was recorded in Amaranthus hypochondriacus seeds (5.48 ± 0.22%), whereas the highest was observed in Cleome gynandra seeds (20.05 ± 1.11%). Amaranthus hypochondriacus leaves displayed the highest calcium content (4.27 ± 0.61 %), and the highest iron content was found in the leaves of Amaranthus cruentus (2515.64 ± 8.73 mg/g).  These findings suggest that the concurrent use of leaves and seeds from AIVs has significant potential to reduce malnutrition in children under five when incorporated into weaning foods. Furthermore, utilizing both seeds and leaves minimizes waste and improves food and nutrition security.

Conclusions: Malnutrition among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa may be mitigated through the fortification of weaning foods using both the leaves and seeds of African Indigenous Vegetables. This approach offers a sustainable and locally adaptable solution to improve child nutrition and food security.

Keywords: Nutritional composition, African indigenous vegetables, traditional food systems, food and nutrition security, climate-change, weaning foods.