Nutritional Study of Processed Amygdalus communis L. Sesamum indicum and Bertholletia excelsa Nuts on Two Weeks Old Wistar Rats

Abstract

The study evaluated the nutritional benefits of processed Almond nuts, Sesame seeds and Brazil nut on two weeks old Wistar rats. The rats were weighed and arranged into seven groups and feed for 4 weeks. Group one (control) was fed with commercial rat feed and distilled water. Group two was fed with a diet formulated from Brazil nuts and distilled water. Group three was fed with a diet formulated from almond seeds and distilled water only while Group four was fed with a diet formulated from sesame seeds. Group five was fed with diet from sesame + almond seeds while Group six was fed with a diet formulated from Brazil +almond nuts. Group seven was fed with a diet formulated from Brazil + Almond nuts +Sesame seeds. Biochemical and haematological analyses were carried out applying standard methods and procedures. Results for proximate analysis indicated that Brazil nut contains 4.03% Ash, 7.61% crude moisture, 43.74% crude lipid, 12.82% crude protein, 8.7% crude fibre and 28.1% carbohydrate. Plasma enzyme activities of rats fed with Brazil nuts were: ALT (22.96±1.95U/l), AST (66.49±3.33 U/l), ALP (64.18±2.76 (U/l) and GGT (6.89±1.69 (U/l). Total protein, albumin, and total bilirubin concentrations were 53.56±2.03 g/dl, 32.13±1.21 g/dl and 3.82±0.20 g/dl respectively. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL concentrations were 2.83±0.42 mmol/l, 1.35±0.02 mmol/l, 4.10±0.19 mmol/l, 4.72±0.13 mmol/l respectively. The PCV, Hb, WBC, RBC, Platelet and MCV concentrations of rats fed with Brazil nuts only were 48.20±1.79%, 15.02±0.65 g/dl, 7.06±0.44 X103/mm3, 7.28±0.23 X106/mm3, 195.00±5.79 X103/ml, and 6.63±0.43 X10-7fl respectively which were significantly (p<0.05) different from the control values. The result is suggestive that they can be incorporated as a supplementary diet for Wistar rats. However, the results obtained from rats feed with almond and Brazil nuts were more significant when compared with sesame seeds.