Nutrient content and anti-nutritional factors in shea butter (Butryospermum parkii) leaves

Sample of shea-butter leaves were analyzed for, anti-nutrients and proximate composition. The proximate result showed that the leaf has high content of carbohydrate (13.82%) compared to other types of leaves. The content of anti-nutrients observed is low; phytate (0.19%), tannic acid (1.50%) and oxalate (0.80%) and these can be tolerated by the body system. The low level of these constituent will not pose a serious nutritional problem in consumption of shea-butter leaves. The leaf extract was also observed to be a good source of iron (3.80 mg/kg), magnesium (19.16 mg/kg) and potassium (0.61 mg/kg). Three amino acids; valine, phenylalanine and leucine were as well found in the leaf extract.