Pumpkin seeds and nutrient content

Pumpkin belongs to the genus Cucurbita and family Cucurbitaceae are grown widely around the world as a vegetable. In the USA, they are vastly used for Halloween carvings and thanksgiving feasts. Like other members of Cucurbitaceae, pumpkin fruits bear numerous seeds.

Pumpkin seed is a popular ingredient in snacks sold in retail stores across the country, such as trail mixes with various nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, and is also used as an ingredient in breakfast cereal and bread.

The seed content of pumpkin fruit varies from 3.52% to 4.27%. It has high nutritional value, provides good quality oil, and excellent source of protein and have pharmacological activities such as antidiabetic, antifungal, antibacterial and antiinflammation activities, and antioxidant effects.

Pumpkin seed is a nutritious food with a high oil (50% w/w), moisture 4.06%, crude fiber 2.91%, total lipid 36.70%, and protein (35%) content that varies depending on cultivar. It also contains sugar 1.08%, and starch 2.15%.

The minerals composition of the seed include: nitrogen 5.53%, phosphorus 0.71%, sodium 4.80 Cmol/kg, potassium 20.00 Cmol/kg, Calcium 4.40 Cmol/kg, Magnesium 348.7 ppm, iron 290.0 ppm, coper 70 ppm, zinc 39.9 ppm, and manganese 17.9 ppm.

Palmitic (≤ 15%), stearic (≤ 8%), oleic (≤ 47%), and linoleic (≤ 61%) fatty acids are the main components of the oil. The total phenolic contents of pumpkin seed oil were determined by some investigators that were ranged between 25 to 51mg/kg of pumpkin seed oil. Total phenolic compounds, total sterols, waxes and total tocopherols were 66.25 (mg galic acid per kg oil), 1.86%, 1.56% and 882.65 (mg tocopherol per kg oil) respectively.

Pumpkin seeds have historically been used to produce oil, fortify breads, consumed as a snack or even for medicinal purposes.
Pumpkin seeds and nutrient content

Important nutrient in peanuts

Peanuts or “groundnuts” as they are known in some parts of the world are the edible seeds of a legume. The basic composition of peanuts per 100 g of nuts is as below:
 Water 1.55 g
 Carbohydrates 21.51 g
 Fiber 8.0 g
 Lipids (Fats) 49.66 g
 Proteins 23.68 g
Energy (Total Calories) 2448 kJ (585 kcal)

As peanuts are technically legumes they are more closely related to chickpeas and soybeans than to almonds, walnuts, or other tree nuts, and are more protein rich, and more nutritionally complete than tree nuts. Peanuts contain all the essential amino acids necessary for normal body growth and metabolism. All amino acids must be present evenly in the body to supplement normal and active growth. Among the 20 amino acids 11 are non-essential, and are continuously synthesized in the body through various reactions interlinking carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

The major carbohydrate present in peanuts is starch which is a homopolysaccharide made up of α-D glucose residues joined together by glycosidic bonds. Peanut research has demonstrated that peanut carbohydrate content is dependent upon cultivar, maturation, and geographic location.

Defatted peanut flour has been shown to contain approximately 38% total carbohydrates of which account for oligosaccharides 18%, starch, 12.5%, hemicellulose A 0.5%, hemicellulose B 3.5%, and cellulose (fiber) 4.5%.

Fatty acids that are present in peanuts belong to the category of lipids. In addition to carbohydrates, they also are considered as energy producing biomolecules. However, owing to their insoluble nature in water, they are not direct source of energy to the body, but act as an alternate fuel to the body. According to the American peanut council, peanut fat profile contains about 50 % monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), 33 % Paraformaldehyde (PFAs) and 14 % saturated fatty acids which is a heart friendly combination of fatty acids.

Peanuts are a vital source for introducing most of the water-soluble vitamins into the human body along with vitamin E which is fat soluble. An important fat-soluble vitamin in peanuts is vitamin E amounting to about 6.93 mg/100g. Vitamin E is known as α -tocopherol, and is an anti-oxidative vitamin.

Peanuts are a good dietary source of the macro minerals, which are the minerals needed daily in a quantity greater than 100 mg/day. Peanuts contain approximately 658 mg/ 100 g of the vital mineral potassium, which functions along with sodium to maintain the bodies’ electrolyte balance, and muscle and neurological function. 100 g of peanut can provide RDA levels of 127 % copper, 84 % manganese, 57 % iron, 54 % phosphorus, 42 % magnesium intake is associated with reduced inflammation and a decreased risk of metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes.

Peanuts provide high energy levels for lesser consumptions level. They are also referred to as energy-dense. Peanuts contains about 50 % fat which at 9 cal per gram, contribute more calories than traditional foods used in humanitarian relief such as milk, corn, soybean, wheat and other grains.

Current research studies have demonstrated that dietary inclusion of peanuts and tree nuts has been linked to reduced heart disease, certain types of cancers, and improved weight management.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that eating nuts daily can reduce death from heart disease by 29%, and even eating peanuts just twice a week can reduce risk by 24%.
Important nutrient in peanuts

Nutrient rich sugarcane

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum Linn.), pertaining to the Poaceae family, has been harvested worldwide for its economical and medicinal valued products.

Sugarcane contains fructose and glucose and remains the cheapest energy giving crop. The presence of the flavonoids, phenolic acids, and several other phenolic compounds in sugarcane, allows for an antioxidant activity of its syrup and juices.

The traditional growing cycle of sugar cane for production of sugar is from 12 to 18 months during which the following changes take place: an increase in stem relative to leaf; increase in concentration of total sugars in the juice; conversion of reducing sugars to sucrose; increasing lignification of the structural cell wall carbohydrates.

The fresh sugarcane culms are ground to obtain the refreshing sugarcane juice. It is highly nutritious, containing natural sugars, several minerals, vitamins, amino acids, organic acids, starch, phosphatides, and gums. Consuming 100 mL sugarcane releases, 40 kcal energy, 10 mg calcium, 1.1 mg iron, and 6 μg carotene in the body.

Potassium (K+) and chloride (Cl−) were the most abundant cation and anion in the sugarcane juice.

Sugarcane juice is obtained by grinding the sugarcane culms. Basically, it comprises of 70 - 75% water, 13 - 15% sucrose, and 10 - 15% fibre. Approximately 9.8% of sugars were present in juice, and most sugar was sucrose (9.6%). The fibre consists of 43.3% cellulose, 23.8% hemicellulose, and 21.7% lignin.

All the coloured components from sugarcane juice were classified into four major classes: Plant pigments, polyphenolic compounds, caramels, and degradation products of sugars condensed with amino derivatives.
Nutrient rich sugarcane

Essential nutrients in lemon

Lemon juice has proven effective in protecting blood vessels from hardening. Key nutrients in lemons include vitamin C, fiber, fructose, sucrose, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, citron, citric acid, sodium, zinc, copper, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2, vitamin B3, panthotenic acid, vitamin B6, and small amount of lipids.

Lemons one of the best food sources of vitamin C. One small (1g/3.5 oz) contains 60-100 mg of vitamin C. Consuming one lemon a day cman provide most, of daily requirement It’s best to consume lemon freshly squeezed, as 20 percent of its vitamin C is lost eight hours at room temperature or 24 hours in a refrigerator.

Important phytochemicals include limonene, anthocyanins, psoralen, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, ferulic acid, hesperidin, monoterpenes, saponins, triterpenoids, quecertin, catechins, P-coumeric acid, sinapic acid, thymol, umbelliferone, rutin, coumarin, phenethyl isothiocyanate, phytosterols and beta-carotene.

Beta-carotene, involved in vision function, is a precursor to and plant form of vitamin A. It is considered the most important of the caoretnoids. Lemons also contain two types of fiber: cellulose, which strengthens cell walls and pectin, which binds cells together. Pectin dissolves in water in the digestive tract to form a gel. It is an antioxidant.
Essential nutrients in lemon

Nutritional benefits of kiwifruit

The chemical composition of kiwifruit is of considerable interest to those wishing to understand the basis of the nutritional value and health benefits of consuming kiwifruit.

People are attracted to kiwifruit because of its brilliant green color and exotic taste. Kiwi is one of the few fruits that are green when it is completely ripe and it contains chlorophyll.

Kiwis are an excellent source of potassium, folate, beta-carotene, and vitamin C and K. The fruits are also a very good source of dietary fiber. They are also high in vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Kiwifruit protects against and improves respiratory disease; reduce the risk of cancer; detoxifies the body. There are many studies using kiwifruit demonstrated antioxidant activities and other beneficial effects for cardiovascular disease and cancer as well as anti-inflammatory effects.

Kiwifruit is a good source of various phytonutrients and chemicals associated with healthy immune system. Kiwi’s high level of potassium helps keep body electrolytes in balance by counteracting the effects of sodium.

A 100 gram serving is about whole fruit (76 grams per medium kiwi) and provides 61 calories, 1.1. grams of protein, 0.5 gram of fat, and 14.7 of carbohydrate, with 3 grams of fiber and 9 grams of natural sugars (fructose and glucose).

The bioactivity of kiwifruit is largely attributed to the presence of nutrient and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, caffeic acid, naringenin, quercetin and epicatechin. Kiwifruit often regarded as a nutrient-dense fruit.

The nutrition adequacy and nutrient density value of kiwifruit are driven primarily by its high vitamin C content. Like other vitamin C-rich foods, kiwifruits are particularly important in promoting respiratory tract health.
Nutritional benefits of kiwifruit

Balance studies

Balance studies are based on the principle of the conservation of energy and matter. In terms of body metabolism, the balance method is simply a comparison of nutrient intake and output (loss from body) and thus is a measurement of body gain or loss.

Metabolic balance studies have been used at least since the 1920s. A thorough accounting of calcium balance methodology was reported in 1945 by a group of authors that included Fuller Albright for whom the highest award given by the American Society for Born and Mineral Research.

Balance studies calculate net retention as intake minus excretion. The technique is applicable only when a stable component is under study or when end products of metabolism are clearly recognized.

For example heat is the end product of energy metabolism and all forms of energy may be expressed as heat. Therefore the balance experiment may be used in studies of energy exchange.

Protein balance is determined by measurement of its metabolically stable component, nitrogen. Balance studies should be performed for several days on a constant protein intake in steady-state conditions.

Mineral elements are stable substances and therefore led to themselves to the balance technique.
Balance studies

Health benefits of peanuts

A peanut is one of the most widely used legumes due to its nutritional value and taste. Peanuts originated in South America where they have existed for thousands of years.

As for the ever popular peanut, it is associated with reducing the risk of heart disease due to it contains of monounsaturated fats and is high in protein.

Peanuts are also a good source of other famous heart-healthy nutrients, including vitamin E, niacin, folate, magnesium, manages and more protein than any other true nut. Plus, peanuts are cholesterol-free and gluten-free.

As a good source of niacin, peanuts contribute to brain health and blood flow, giving protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline.

Peanuts are also a source of resveratol, which has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, increase energy levels and endurance, and holds promise and as an effective anticancer agent and anti-inflammatory.

Recently, interest has grown in the potential value of including nuts in the diets of individuals with diabetes.
Health benefits of peanuts

What is the definition of nutrition?

Food is vital for life. It can be defined as any solid or liquid substance which, when taken by the body, provides it with the necessary materials to enables it to grow to replace worn-out and damaged parts and to function normally.

The human is like a complex piece of machinery in that its is prone to faults and weakness it if is poorly maintained.

This can happen if too little or too much food d is eaten, or if the daily food intake is in any way unbalanced.

One way of ensuring that heath and fitness are maintained, when food is plenatoful, is to have an understanding of food and its effects on the body and to use those knowledge wisely.

Food, like other substance is composed of different chemical elements, arranged in a variety of ways to form molecules.

These molecules collectively give individual foods their flavour, color, and texture and affect their reaction to heat and their digestion.

The body uses some of the molecules in food to function correctly and to stay healthy. These are the nutrients. There are many different nutrients, and each has its own function in the body. Each nutrients is vital to life and the health of an individual will suffer if any one nutrient is in short supply.

The study of nutrients and their relationship with food and living things is called nutrition.

Most foods contain more than one nutrient, so are of use to the body in several ways. Some foods such as sugar, contain only one nutrient and are limited use to the body.

However, no single food provides all the nutrients required by the body in sufficient quantities, so a variety of foods must be eaten.

The term used in the study of nutrition include the following:

Diet
Diet means the food that a person normally eats every day. There are also special diets, e.g. slimming diets, low fat diets.

Malnutrition
Malnutrition means an incorrect or unbalanced intake of nutrients.

Under-nutrition
Under-nutrition means an insufficient total intake of nutrients.

Balanced diet
Balanced diet means a diet that provides the correct amount of nutrients for the needs of an individual.
What is the definition of nutrition?

The requirements of nutrient for different people

Different people need different amounts of nutrients for optimal health. Indeed each of person has own nutrient need, determined by a host of factors such as sex, age, physical activity and genetics.

RDAs currently address as many as 22 specific categories of human beings: boys, girls, men, and women from infancy though middle age.

Eventually , recommendation will be made for people older than 85. Knowledge about the nutrient needs and nutrition status of older adults has grown considerably in recent years.

As people age, they may suffer different chronic diseases and take different medications – both have impacts on nutrient needs.

If age is important, so gender, For people, because women of childbearing age lose iron when they menstruate their RDA for iron is higher than RDA for men.

Pregnancy is a period characterized by increased production of hormone because of the development of fetus. There is a need for additional protein because of the fetus and the needed protection of the mother against diseases s and infection.

On the other hand, because men who are sexually active lose zinc though their ejaculations, the zinc RDA for men is higher than the zinc RDA for women.

The gender affects body composition, which includes other RDAs, such as proteins.

College aged male who is a member of the soccer team is likely to have higher nutritional requirements than a comparable class mate who is relatively inactive.
The requirements of nutrient for different people

Human Health need Nutrients

Human Health need Nutrients
Food is the most basic prerequisite of living organisms. Food builds, provides energy for living and working, and regulates the mechanisms essential for health and survival of life.

Food thus constitutes the foundation of health of humans and animals.

Human health is a function not only of medical care but of the overall integrated development of society – cultural economic, educational, social and political. It also depends in a number of supportive services, nutrition, improvement in environment and health education.

Food being the basic vehicle of satisfying man’s hunger, it is intimately woven into the physical economic, psychological, intellectual and social life of human beings.

Our food has several dimensions, the most obvious being the quantitative one. Insufficiency of food leads progressively from mild discomfort to severe hunger and ultimately to death.

Its qualitative dimension is equally important, because low quality or improper diets lead to malnutrition and disease.

Food affects health life spam, physical fitness, body size and meal development. Food also has a cultural dimension.

The food habits of people are part of their cultural and emotional life, and preferences for foods are ingrained.

People may cling for generations to their food habits, which may become rituals and patterns of daily routine life.

A satisfying meal soothes both the body and mind and determine s quality of human life.
Human Health need Nutrients

Digestion and Absorption of major Nutrients

Digestion and Absorption of major Nutrients
For the assimilation of nutrients by the body, the bulk of the foodstuffs must first undergo mastication and digestion.

In this process, polymeric substances such as starches, proteins and triglycerides are broken down into their “building blocks” of monomeric sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, etc.

With the exception of most vitamins and inorganic substituent, this digestive breakdown process is necessary for absorption into the body.

It is also a factor in body defenses, preventing the potential absorption of “foreign” macromolecules.

During digestion/hydrolysis if the polymeric nutrients (especially) the proteins), the vitamins and trace elements associated with tem are released, allowing their more efficient absorption.
Digestion and Absorption of major Nutrients

Body composition and categories of nutrients

Body composition and categories of nutrients
The average human body contains about 20 % of fat, 15% protein, much smaller amounts of carbohydrate (perhaps I %) and large amounts of water. It also contains substantial amounts of the “major minerals,” from calcium and phosphorus down to sulfur and magnesium as well as trace quantities of most elements. The human diet reflects this compositional need, and consists of large quantities of water containing, proteinaceous, fatty, and carbohydrate foods, as well as others rich in the minerals.

The trace elements are found in connection with these other nutrients, except where extensive processing and purification has occurred. In all, one may partition the nutrients into six categories: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, major minerals, and trace elements. This excludes a consideration of water and oxygen as nutrients, since no special efforts are required to produce and provide them.
Body composition and categories of nutrients