The Prospects of Dacryodes Edulis and Persea Americana Seeds Intervention against Oxidants

Abstract

Objectives: The thrust of this work was the assessment of the mineral contents of two tropical fruit seeds D. edulis and P. americana. The aim was to make available empirical data as to the possible nutritional benefits that may be derived from the consumption of the processed seeds. Methods: The method employed for mineral contents determination was the Atomic Adsorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), and the mineral content for each sample was paired with the World Health Organization (WHO) Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA), according to age brackets. Results: Adequate amount of potassium, manganese, magnesium, iron and zinc for children (4-8 years). The seeds of D. edulis and P. americana were observed to have adequate amounts of potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc and selenium for adult males (25-50 years), with potassium and calcium limiting for adult females (25-50 years). Conclusions: These data suggests that the seeds of D. edulis and P. americana contain enough manganese, zinc and selenium to protect against oxidant molecules.