Bioactive Constituents and In vitro Antioxidant Capacity of Water Leaf (Talinum triangulare) as Affected by Domestic Cooking

Background and Aim: Despite the pharmacological relevance of Water leaf (Talinum triangulare), there is paucity of information in literature on the effect of boiling on its pharmacopotency as well as nutritional properties.

Methodology: The total chlorophyll, carotenoids, proximates, phytochemicals, minerals, vitamins and antioxidant assays of the leaves of the vegetable were performed using standard techniques.

Results: The raw leaves of water leaf (Talinum triangulare) possessed considerable amounts of proximates, phytochemicals, minerals, vitamins, chlorophyll as well as anti-oxidant activity but had low levels of carbohydrates and energy value. Cooking of the raw leaves of the vegetable for 5 minutes resulted in insignificant (P>0.05) losses of proximates, phytochemicals, Ca, Fe, Zn, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and tocopherol, but significant (P<0.05) losses of vitamin C, carotenoids, Mg, P, chlorophyll and antioxidant activity with a corresponding increase in moisture, proteins and crude fibre contents.

Conclusion: The conventional method of cooking of the raw waterleaf in Nigeria leads to an increase in its protein and crude fibre contents which justifies the usage of the cooked vegetable in the management of obesity, stroke and diabetes mellitus in Nigeria.