Nutritional Evaluation of the Proximate, Mineral, and Vitamin Composition of Ethanol Extract of Triumfetta cordifolia Leaves in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Triumfetta cordifolia is a plant traditionally consumed in parts of West Africa and used in ethnomedicine for various therapeutic purposes. Despite its widespread use, scientific data on its nutritional value remains limited. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the proximate, mineral, and vitamin composition of T. cordifolia leaves, establishing their nutritional significance. This study aimed to evaluate the proximate, mineral, and vitamin composition of T. cordifolia leaves to establish their nutritional significance. Fresh leaves were collected, air-dried, pulverized, and extracted with 70% ethanol. Proximate analysis was performed using standard procedures, minerals were quantified by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, and vitamins were determined using established spectrophotometric methods. The results obtained for proximate composition showed that the leaves contained appreciable levels of carbohydrates (58.63%), crude protein (11.01%), crude lipid (8.81%), and ash (5.51%), indicating good nutritional value. Mineral analysis for macro elements revealed potassium (48.42 mg/100 g) as the most abundant, followed by calcium (15.15 mg/100 g) and magnesium (5.02 mg/100 g), while for the micro-elements, zinc (7.03 mg/100 g) and iron (5.75 mg/100 g) were the dominant microminerals. The vitamin profile indicated the presence of multiple B-complex vitamins and notable vitamin C content (4.17 mg/100 g), alongside smaller amounts of vitamin D (0.12±0.00 mg/100g), and K (0.06±0.01 mg/100g). The findings demonstrate that T. cordifolia leaves are a nutrient-rich plant source capable of supporting dietary quality and enhancing nutritional health.