Evaluation of nutritional value of and and their potential contribution to human health.

Wild indigenous vegetables make considerable contributions to food baskets among subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proximate analysis, mineral composition, vitamin C content, β-carotene content, and GC-MS profile of crude methanolic extracts of and . Crude extracts obtained through sequential extraction using ethyl acetate and methanol were screened for the presence of secondary metabolites. Functional groups present were determined with a Shimadzu FT-IR spectrophotometer, while β-carotene content and ascorbic acid content were evaluated using a Shimadzu HPLC and Shimadzu UV-VIS spectrophotometer, respectively. Secondary metabolites present in the extracts were determined qualitatively using a Shimadzu GC-MS system equipped with a NIST spectral database. From the results obtained, the two plants could supply the recommended daily requirement for micronutrient and vitamin C content needed for a healthy diet. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents in were higher as compared to hence, their consumption is highly beneficial as some compounds identified in the GC-MS profile have been reported to have medicinal properties. The findings on the mineral and chemical composition, GC-MS profile of and indicate that their consumption may provide the recommended nutritional requirements needed for a healthy diet.