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Nutritional potential of tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) from semi-arid and subhumid zones of Uganda

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Abstract

It has been reported that plants that experience some form of stress while growing tend to accumulate increased levels of nutrients that are useful to humans. We compare the proximate and mineral composition of Tamarindus indica leaves, fruit pulp and seeds from Uganda’s semi-arid and sub-humid zones with contrasting environmental conditions including temperature, rainfall, soils and geology. Samples were analyzed following standard AOAC procedures. Mineral content was in the order K > Ca > Mg > Na > Fe and K > Mg > Ca > Na > Fe for the semi-arid and subhumid zones respectively. Tamarindus indica fruit pulp and leaves from both zones plus seeds from the semi-arid zone contained the Na/K ratio of < 1 recommended by World Health Organisation for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Proximate composition for leaves, fruit pulp and whole seeds were in the following ranges: Moisture content (9.83–69.42%), ash (1.93–11.6%), carbohydrate (64.74–88.7%), crude lipid (0.96–3.57%), crude fiber (0.89–14.93%), and crude protein (4.59–14.82%). Leaves contained higher levels of crude protein, crude lipid and crude fibre than fruit pulp. Tamarindus indica from the semi-arid zone tends to accumulate nutrients in ways that better promote human health. Tamarindus indica from both zones has high potential to provide functional foods and livestock feeds.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Regional Initiative in Science and Education- African Natural Products Research Network (RISE AFNNET) of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Kyambogo University for financial and logistical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-Security, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

    Esther Ebifa-Othieno, John David Kabasa & Antony Mugisha

  2. Department of Geography and Social Studies, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda

    Esther Ebifa-Othieno

  3. Department of Forestry, Bio-diversity and Tourism, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

    Philip Nyeko

  4. Department of Food Technology and Human Nutrition, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

    Dorothy Nakimbugwe

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  1. Esther Ebifa-Othieno
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  2. John David Kabasa
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  4. Dorothy Nakimbugwe
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  5. Antony Mugisha
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Contributions

EEO designed the study, collected and analyzed data and coordinated the write up. DJK designed the study with EEO. PN and DN participated in write up. AM participated in data analysis and write up. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Esther Ebifa-Othieno.

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Ebifa-Othieno, E., Kabasa, J.D., Nyeko, P. et al. Nutritional potential of tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) from semi-arid and subhumid zones of Uganda. Food Measure 14, 1125–1134 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-019-00362-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-019-00362-7

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