Description
ABSTRACT
This work deals with the effect of fruit in blood level. Pumpkin fruits were processed into the raw, boiled, fermented, germinated and roasted seeds, dried at 50°C, milled and sieved. The seed flours were analyzed for nutritional composition, energy, amino acids and fatty acids of the oils. Processing affected the levels of nutrients in the seed. The energy values ranged between 26.55 ± 0.7 – 30.06 ± 0.8 KJ/g and the seed is a good source of some essential minerals. Deleterious elements are very low and significantly reduced by processing. The fatty acids consist of oleic acid, 34.52 ± 0.03 – 46.39 ± 0.06%; linoleic acid, 11.0 ± 0.06 – 30.94 ± 0.2%; palmitic acid, 13.61 ± 0.1 – 19.56 ± 0.04% and stearic acid, 11.84 ± 0.06 – 18.91± 0.3%. Predominant amino acids in the seed are glutamic acid, 132.04 ± 0.02-152.30±0.7mg/g cp.; and aspartic acid, 124.61±0.03-130.78±0.07mg/g cp. The limiting amino acids are methionine, 6.02 – 8.11mg/g cp. and tryptophan, 0.08 – 13.78mg/g cp. Fermentation and germination improved the protein quality while boiling and roasting reduced them. Processing reduced deleterious metals and improved some of its nutrients.
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
- BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
- PROPERTIES OF PUMPKIN
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.2 REVIEW OF PUMPKIN
2.3 ETYMOLOGY OF PUMPKIN
2.4 TERMINOLOGY OF PUMPKIN
2.5 TAXONOMY OF PUMPKIN
2.6 DISTRIBUTION AND HABITATION
CHAPTER THREE
3.1 METHODOLOGY
3.2 PUMPKIN SEEDS NUTRITION
3.3 BENEFITS OF PUMPKIN FRUIT
3.4 METHOD OF DETERMINATION
CHAPTER FOUR
4.5 RESULT ANALYSIS
4.6 CHEMICALANALYSIS
4.7 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 CONCLUSION
5.2 RECOMMENDATION
5.3 REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
From the family Cucurbitaceae, is Cucurbita pepo, a medium sized plant grown for its Fruits and edible seeds. Hence, it is known to be used as food and in herbal formulation in Nigeria. The ways of expanding the use of available local food sources are increasingly pursued, some of these local food sources contain seeds, many reports on some lesser known seeds and fruits indicated that they could be good sources of nutrients for both man and livestock. Seeds are good sources of protein, fats, carbohydrate and minerals. Researchers have shown that seeds not only contain nutritionally important bio- compounds but are also sources of other phyto-compounds which at certain critical levels have significant anti-nutritional effects. These compounds include oxalate, phytate, nitrate, cyanide etc. Pumpkin has received considerable attention in recent years because of the nutritional and health protective values of the seeds .Pumpkin seeds are consume directly as snack food in many cultures throughout the world. Pumpkin plant is an annual plant with leafy green vegetable; it has a climbing stem of up to 12m long and fruit with a round fibrous flesh. Pumpkin fruits are variable in size, colour, shape and weight; they have a moderately hard flesh with a thick edible flesh below and a central cavity containing the seeds. The seeds are covered with a testa which serves as a protectant around it. More analysis on Pumpkin seeds will only increase the available data on their nutritional and anti-nutritional composition. However, little work has been reported on the mineral composition of pumpkin seeds varieties from Tudunwada area, Kaduna Nigeria, an area known for highly condensed industries including petrochemicals. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to evaluate the proximate, minerals, nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of Pumpkin seeds as potential source of minerals as well as their calorific value and their health implications.
1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
Pumpkin fruits are variable in size, colour, shape and weight; they have a moderately hard flesh with a thick edible flesh below and a central cavity containing the seeds. The seeds are covered with a testa which serves as a protectant around it. More analysis on Pumpkin seeds will only increase the available data on their nutritional and anti-nutritional composition. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to evaluate the proximate, minerals, nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of Pumpkin fruits as potential source of minerals as well as their calorific value and their health implications.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This work describes how Pumpkin fruit is incredibly rich in vital antioxidants, and vitamins. Though this humble backyard vegetable is less in calories, nonetheless, it carries vitamin A, and flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, xanthin, and carotenes in abundance
1.4 PROPERTIES OF PUMPKIN
Medicinal properties of pumpkin.
Traditionally, pumpkin was used for medicinal purposes in Mexico, China, America and Africa. The medicinal properties of pumpkins are normally obtained from either the extract from the stem, leaves, fruit or seeds.
Antioxidant properties
Oxidative stress can lead to production of unwanted radicals leading to health complications such as heart diseases, Alzheimer’s diseases, as well as cancers.
Oxidative stresses arise due to high levels of pro-oxidants in the body compared to antioxidants. The body therefore requires a way of generating additional antioxidants to counter the pro-oxidants. Various foods including pumpkin offer the much needed antioxidants to ameliorate the effects of excess pro-oxidants.
In 2009 scientists from Greece showed that pumpkin seeds are very rich in antioxidants and has a high content of vitamin E (tocopherol) which is also a very good antioxidant.
Anticancer properties
Until very recently pumpkin was not considered in the same league with other powerful anti-cancer foods such as tomatoes.
The carotenoid pigments found in pumpkin seeds oil have been linked to the prevention of prostate cancer. Those that consumed diets high in pumpkin seeds showed lower risk of gastric, breast, lung and colorectal cancers.
Antidiabetic
The big headed fruit is an unsung hero when it comes to tackling diabetes, one of the modern man’s ailments.
Traditionally, pumpkin was used for treating type 2 diabetes where the traditional healers administered crude extract of the pumpkin fruit to the patients.
Various studies with chemically-induced diabetes in rats have also confirmed that pumpkin extracts have blood-sugar lowering effect.
The chemicals that are thought to play the role of lowering blood sugar are phenolic phytochemicals and protein bound polysaccharides.
Protein-bound polysaccharide from pumpkin fruits were specifically evaluated for blood sugar lowering activity and effects on serum insulin levels in artificially -diabetic induced rats. It was found out that protein bound polysaccharide have three very important effects on the temporarily sick rats. These are: to increase the levels of serum insulin, reduce the blood glucose levels and improve tolerance of glucose.
Antibacterial and anti-parasitic
Use of pumpkin seed for treatment of tapeworms and other intestinal parasite. Traditional use of seeds for the treatment of intestinal infections
More recently, a research conducted in China and Russia showed that pumpkin seeds help treat tapeworm infestations.
In China pumpkin seeds were used to be treat people with acute schistosomiasis, a severe parasitic disease that is transmitted through snails.
Presently, there are very good interventions against bacterial infections in form of antibiotics. However, the misuse of antibiotics is causing some bacteria to become resistant warranting development of new drugs or turning to natural remedies.
Proteins and oil extracted from pumpkin seeds are good candidates for such drugs since they inhibit growth of wide range of bacteria, fungi and yeast.
Anti-bladderstone
Pumpkin seeds appear to both reduce levels of substances that promote stone formation in the urine and increase levels of substances that inhibit stone formation.
Approximately 5–10 grams per day of pumpkin seeds may be needed for kidney stone prevention. However, the active constituents of pumpkin seeds responsible for this action have not yet been identified.
Antidepressant
Due to high levels of tryptophan content in pumpkin seeds, the seeds have been recommended to treat depression.
Tryptophan is an amino acid that raises levels of serotonin ‘happiness-inducing hormone’ in the brain.
Anti-inflammatory
Oil extracted from pumpkin seeds has anti-inflammatory properties similar to indometacin, a well known anti-inflammatory drug.
The fact that modern and processed foods are increasingly begging many questions as far as their effects on health are concerned, traditional foods such as pumpkin are receiving and will continue to attract attention as natural and better alternatives.
High nutrients and medicinal properties in pumpkin leaves, fruit and seeds make it an attractive health food proposition.
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