Nutritional and anti-nutrient profiles of some Ghanaian spices

Figures & data

Table 1. Proximate composition of five Ghanaian spices

Spice	X. aethiopica	P. guineense	M. myristica	A. melegueta	P. biglobosa
Moisture (%)	12.30^a ± 0.24	11.90^a ± 0.13	14.61^b ± 0.44	17.71^c ± 0.12	32.79^d ± 0.08
Ash (%)	5.10^a ± 0.45	7.60^b ± 0.15	2.41^c ± 0.17	1.24^d ± 0.09	0.56^d ± 0.28
Fat (%)	6.47^a ± 0.76	3.13^b ± 0.04	31.01^c ± 0.48	0.69^d ± 0.16	19.13^e ± 0.33
Crude proteins (%)	7.73^a ± 0.98	10.40^a ± 0.65	14.02^b ± 0.87	15.99^b ± 0.92	38.60^c ± 2.24
Fiber (%)	18.30^a ± 0.87	18.20^a ± 1.11	21.04^b ± 1.12	31.12^c ± 1.04	5.52^d ± 0.18
Carbohydrates* (%)	50.1	48.77	16.9	43.25	3.4
Energy (kcal)	289.55	264.85	402.77	243.17	347.17

Notes: Data reported as Mean ± SD. Means followed by different letters (^a–e) in the same row are significantly different from each other (p < 0.05).

* Carbohydrates were calculated by difference.

Table 2. Concentrations of essential minerals in five Ghanaian spices

Mineral (mg/kg)	Spices
	X. aethiopica	P. guineense	M. myristica	A. melegueta	P. biglobosa
Iron	2.73 ± 0.12	2.67 ± 0.45	49.70 ± 1.23	82.55 ± 1.91	116.52 ± 0.91
Magnesium	19.65 ± 0.35	24.61 ± 0.42	914.50 ± 2.01	913.25 ± 2.12	905.75 ± 0.98
Calcium	98.40 ± 0.45	146.43 ± 1.76	2,906.88 ± 2.54	5,381.88 ± 2.25	2,959.37 ± 1.12
Zinc	0.37 ± 0.13	0.31 ± 0.09	18.96 ± 0.79	24.41 ±1.06	30.59 ± 0.69
Copper	0.41 ± 0.04	0.01 ± 0.01	9.20 ± 0.41	3.16 ± 0.31	7.15 ± 0.30
Manganese	2.06 ± 0.20	0.19 ± 0.01	9.60 ± 0.32	16.90 ± 0.98	29.55 ± 0.37
Potassium	4.51 ± 0.23	4.86 ± 0.16	147.08 ± 1.36	93.93 ± 1.35	169.23 ± 1.15

Note: Mineral concentrations reported as Mean ± SD of three replicate experiments.

Figure 1. Levels of vitamin C in the various spices.

Notes: Data represents mean of 3 separate determinations. Standard deviations are indicated as error bars. Bars with different letters (a–c) are significantly different from each other at p < 0.05. Ordinary One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test.

Figure 2. Levels of antinutrients, oxalate (a) and phytate (b) in the various spices.

Notes: Data represents mean of 3 separate determinations. Standard deviations are indicated as error bars. Bars with different letters (a–d) are significantly different from each other at p < 0.05. Ordinary One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test.

Table 3. Comparison of antinutrients to minerals molar ratio with recommended critical values

Molar ratio	Spices					Critical values
	X. aethiopica	P. guineense	M. myristica	A. melegueta	P. biglobosa
Phy:Zn	11,426.70	10,596.33	68.81	114.07	37.25	15.00
Phy:Ca	26.34	13.75	0.28	0.32	0.24	0.24
Phy:Fe	1,323.71	1,051.57	22.44	28.83	8.36	1.00
Ox:Ca	22.23	18.42	0.50	0.07	1.17	1.00

Notes: Phy—Phytate, Ox—oxalate.