Effect of Water Cooking on the Biochemical Characteristics of Leafy Vegetables (Ficus exasperata) Consumed in Northern Côte d’Ivoire

Leafy vegetables play an important role in the diets of all populations around the world, particularly in Africa, Asia and Oceania, where they provide an essential part of the nutritional and medicinal needs. Ficus exasperata leaves could improve the nutrition and health of consuming populations. the leaves of Ficus exasperata are little known in terms of food for the Ivorian population. The objective of this study is to study the effect of cooking in water on some biochemical parameters of leafy or gratory vegetables (Ficus exasperata) used in the preparation of traditional dishes in the North of Côte d’Ivoire. Ficus exasperata was cooked for 20 to 40 min and the biochemical analyzes were carried out at different times from 20 to 40 min. The results revealed significant differences at the 5% level. The results showed that fiber and lipid levels increased after 20 minutes of cooking. On the other hand, cooking in water after 40 min resulted in losses of 14.41% of ashes, 55% of proteins, 96% of phytochemicals, 81.74% of phytates and 84.94% of oxalates. The recommended cooking time is 20 minutes because most of the nutrients are barely denatured. It would then be recommended to cook these leafy vegetables for 20 minutes to minimize nutrient losses.