Assessment of minerals and vitamin constituents of some commonly consumed spices

The minerals and vitamin components of five commonly consumed spices such as Ginger, Garlic, Turmeric, Black pepper and Cloves were evaluated using standard methods. Mineral composition results showed that the calcium content (mg/100g) in Ginger, Garlic, Turmeric, Black pepper and Cloves were 338.17, 282.18, 346.51, 438.61 and 274.63, respectively. The levels of potassium in all the spices ranged from the least 68.47 in garlic to the highest 96.05 in black pepper and Sodium concentrations in all the spices were 23.41 in ginger, 20.15 in garlic, 21.78 in turmeric, 38.82 in black pepper and 26.64 in cloves. Other micro nutrients such as iron copper, zinc, selenium and manganese were found in traces in all the spices while the toxic metals such as lead and cadmium were not detected in all the spices. The results of vitamin contents of all the five spices showed that Thiamine, Vitamin B1 contents (mg/100g) of Ginger, Garlic, Turmeric, Black pepper and Cloves were 32.13, 24.29, 38.61, 28.84 and 27.46, respectively, vitamin B2, Riboflavin contents of the spices ranged from 25.63 in Garlic to 48.24 in Ginger, Niacin, vitamin B3 concentrations varied significantly among the spices and ranged between 15.82 in Ginger to 23.22 in Cloves, Vitamin B6 [Pyridoxine] concentration in the spices ranged from the least 27.18 in Garlic to the highest 31.81 in Black pepper, The Folic acid [Vitamin B9] ranged from 11.23 in Garlic to 16.46 in Turmeric, Vitamin B12 concentration of the spices ranged from19.64 in Ginger to 15.13 in Black pepper. Vitamin C in the Cloves had the highest 143.54 value and the least 38.24 was obtained in Ginger. Vitamin A content of the spices ranged from 56.11 in Ginger to 151.74 in Turmeric while Vitamin E contents of the spices were 10.23 the least in Ginger and 22.51 the highest in Cloves. The study revealed that the spices contained appreciable amount of nutritionally valuable minerals that body required for normal physiological functions, the spices also contained adequate amount of both fat and water soluble vitamins required by the body which can serve as body defence. Immune builder and good antioxidants.