Comparison of nutritional values of brown and white beans in Jos North Local Government markets

Abstract

Cowpea is an important bean which play significant role in the diets of Africans. It serves as a major source of protein in the absence of sufficient animal protein for the population. Two varieties (white and brown) of  cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) were analyzed for their proximate and elemental contents. These varieties belong to the same species in the family leguminosae. The brown and white seeds were found to be nutritious. Both contained carbohydrate, protein, fibers and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper. The crude protein was found to be 15.62 and 17.91% with the brown seeds having the higher amount. The carbohydrate content analyzed was found to be 56.80 and 60.57% with the  white seeds having the higher value. The crude lipid gave the least range which is 2.13 to 2.42%. The other parameters, moisture content, crude fiber and total ash contents were 3.56 to 5.08, 13.54 to 14.15 and 4.07 to 4.27%, respectively. Potassium and copper had the highest and lowest concentration in cowpea varieties ranging from 741 to 768 and 0.58 to 0.60 mg/100 g, respectively. There were significant (p<0.05) differences between the potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, manganese and zinc concentration of the cowpea varieties, except between iron and copper concentration.

Key words: Vigna unguiculata, cowpeas, nutrition, minerals, vitamins.