RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Ten Immune Boosters based on their Extremely High Content of Vitamin C

"... we have baobab fruit out here .......... and how do young leaves and
young shoots apply in the case of moringa.What would you recommend for
cassava leaves and jute?" Ibrahim Abdullah


Thanks for the question. I have consulted phytochemical/ nutritional
references in Lost Crops of Africa . vol.2 .Wash. DC: National Academies Press, 2006;
and African Natural Plant Products. Wash. DC: American Chemical Society.
vols 1& 2.; Reports from Cheikh Anta Diop University and some previous research notes.


Baobab

The Baobab seeds are very rich in calcium and magnesium and have a bit of zinc but
there are also some anti-nutrients in the seeds such as tannins. and phytic acid.
The seeds could be roasted or sun dried. That would get rid of the
tannins but could also generate some other chemical reactions,
according to Haluwe, Halamova and van Damme.
Nnam and Obiakor tried fermentation of the seeds for six days and
reported great results.

The fruit pulp does not have such anti-nutrients but to retain maximum amount
of Vitamin C, eat it raw. Caluwe suggests adding the fruit powder to previously
boiled water so maybe the same can be done to the pulp when making a beverage
to minimize loss of vitamin C.

An orange has about 50mg/100g fresh weight - but baobab can have as much
as 5000mg/100g in weight making it 100 times more than an orange. But many
trees have much less than that - more in an average of 300 to 500mg. from the reports
I have looked at. The fruit also contains small levels of lutein and carotene.

Expert researchers on the biochemical aspects of baobab include Diaminatou Sanogo,
Abdoulaye Diop and Babacar Diedhiou at the Institute Senegalais de Recherches
Agricoles, Senegal and the Department of Pharmacognosy and Botany etc.

Moringa

( ikwe oyibo, nebeday, zogali, gawara,
ewe ile, mzunze, acacia branca, kpatima etc)

Young Shoots: It seems that the young shoots are the richest in Vitamin C.

Leaves- Vit A and B; protein; calcium and iron.
Recommended in treatment of anemia. Great as a tea.

Pods- High Vit C. A and B Higher iron content in the pods than in the leaves.

Seeds- The oil from the seeds is somewhat comparable to olive oil.

Flowers- Rich in protein, minerals and vitamins.

Roots- usually peeled, dried, ground and steeped in vinegar (largely acetic acid).
Not clear about the nutritional content at this point, though.


Cassava Leaves

Considering the extremely high level of Vitamin A and E in cassava leaves, that famous,
delicious, cassava leaf - specialty of Sierra Leone is quite a nutritious dish! The leaves also
have a great deal of Vitamin C, even comparable to baobab. Really high - but
there are some anti-nutrients (tannins etc) in the leaves and although we get rid of that
problem largely during cooking some of the vitamin C is lost in the process.

I once published an article on cassava tubers, with a focus on the
elimination of the cyanide content in the tuber during food processing:


"The Food Crisis and Agro-based Technology: Gari-processing Technology in Nigeria."
Review of African Political Economy. ROAPE. London. No. 43, 1988.

At that time I was not aware of the high content of vitamin A, C and E in the leaves.
I surely would have made some reference to that.
By the way, most of my research on that subject was done at IITA in Ibadan,



...............................................................
Acknowledgement of all those great scholars out there working in this wonderful field -
that intersects with Pharmacology, Chemistry, Biology, African Studies, Archeology,
Agriculture, Anthropology, Indigenous Knowledge Studies,
History of Science, Development Studies etc.
...................................................................



Professor Gloria Emeagwali
Prof. of History & African Studies
africahistory.net
vimeo.com/user5946750/videos
Documentaries on Africa and the African Diaspora

________________________________
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Ibrahim Abdullah [ibdullah@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2014 4:58 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Ten Immune Boosters based on their Extremely High Content of Vitamin C


Sista Gloria:
Greetings from ebola land. Trust all is well.
Quick questions: we have baobab fruit out here but the popular mode of consumption is just to suck and throw away the seed. Others boil add sugar and milk and serve as a drink. What do you think is best?
Moringa: I have two Moringa tree in my house; both less than four years but doing well. I normally sun dry the leaf and drink as tea; occasionally with lime. Question: what is the best method? And how does young leaves and young shoot apply in the case of moringa.
What would you recommend for cassava leaves and jute?

------------------
On Sep 21, 2014 5:59 AM, "Emeagwali, Gloria (History)" <emeagwali@mail.ccsu.edu<mailto:emeagwali@mail.ccsu.edu>> wrote:
>
> Ten Immune Boosters based on their Extremely High Content of Vitamin C
>
>
> 1. Baobab Fruit Pulp ( Adansonia digitata)
>
> 2. Cassava Leaves (Manihot esculenta) (YL)
>
> 3. Moringa (ewe ile) (YS)
>
> 4. Bitter Gourd (Momordica cochinchinensis)
>
> 5. Ethiopian Mustard (Brassica carinata)
>
> 6. Spider Flower (YL) (Cleome gynandra)
>
> 7. Ewedu (Jute) (L)
>
> 8. Snake Gourd
>
> 9. Cowpeas (YS)
>
> 10. Amaranth (L)
> YL = Young leaves; L = Leaves; YS= Young Shoots
> ................................................................
> This list is compiled largely from Ray-Yu Yang, Sahrah Fischer, Peter M. Hanson and J.D.H Ketinge
> pp. 231- 254 - and is based on phytochemical analysis.
>
> Five of the items listed above, each contain more than fifteen times more Vitamin C than spinach.
>
> One contains 30 times more Vit C than spinach.
>
> One item on this list has an incredibly high amount of Vitamin A as well.
>
> Although not listed, okra has three times more vitamin C than spinach but falls far below all of
> the items listed in terms of vitamic C content.
>
> .....................................................
> Professor Gloria Emeagwali
> CT 06050
> africahistory.net<http://africahistory.net>
> vimeo.com/user5946750/videos<http://vimeo.com/user5946750/videos>
> Documentaries on Africa and the African Diaspora
> >
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