Proximate composition and mineral content of spices increasingly employed in the Mediterranean diet

Ayesha S Al Dhaheri; Dana Hasan Alkhatib; Abdul Jaleel; Maryam Naveed Muhammad Tariq; Jack Feehan; Vasso Apostolopoulos; Tareq M Osaili; Maysm N Mohamad; Leila Cheikh Ismail; Sheima T Saleh; Lily Stojanovska

doi:10.1017/jns.2023.52

Proximate composition and mineral content of spices increasingly employed in the Mediterranean diet

J Nutr Sci. 2023 Jul 18:12:e79. doi: 10.1017/jns.2023.52. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates.
² Department of Integrative Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates.
³ Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁴ Immunology Program, Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁵ Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates.
⁶ Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
⁷ Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK.

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the nutritional constituents of common market available spices in the United Arab Emirates. Seven commonly consumed spices namely, ginger (Zingiber officinale), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), black seed (Nigella sativa), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) and saffron (Crocus sativus) were obtained from local markets. Proximate analyses were performed according to AOAC procedures. Assessment of major (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P and S) and minor (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) elements was conducted using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Findings revealed varying macronutrient, micronutrient and mineral contents which are highly valuable for dietary purposes. The present study demonstrates that these edible spices could be used for nutritional support, due to their micro and macronutrient contents.

Keywords: Edible spices; Nutrition; Proximate analysis.

MeSH terms

Diet, Mediterranean*
Minerals
Spices / analysis
Trace Elements* / analysis
Zingiber officinale* / chemistry

Substances

Minerals
Trace Elements