Glew R H, Glew R S, Chuang L-T, Huang Y-S, Millson M, Constans D, Vanderjagt D J
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2006 Jun;61(2):51-6. doi: 10.1007/s11130-006-0010-z.
Dried seeds and nuts are widely consumed by indigenous populations of the western Sahel, especially those who inhabit rural areas. In light of the need for quantitative information regarding the content of particular nutrients in these plant foods, we collected dried pumpkin (Cucurbita spp) seeds and nuts of Cyperus esculentus in the Republic of Niger and analyzed them for their content of essential amino acids, minerals and trace elements, and fatty acids. On a dry weight basis, pumpkin seed contained 58.8% protein and 29.8% fat. However, the lysine score of the protein was only 65% relative to the FAO/WHO protein standard. The pumpkin seed contained useful amounts of linoleic (92 microg/g dry weight) and the following elements (on a microg per g dry weight basis): potassium (5,790), magnesium (5,690), manganese (49.3), zinc (113), selenium (1.29), copper (15.4), chromium (2.84), and molybdenum (0.81), but low amounts of calcium and iron. Except for potassium (5,573 microg/g dry weight) and chromium (2.88 microg/g dry weight), the C. esculentis nuts contained much less of these same nutrients compared to pumpkin seeds. In conclusion, pumpkin seeds represent a useful source of many nutrients essential to humans. The data in this report should of practical value to public health officials in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
萨赫勒西部地区的原住民广泛食用干种子和坚果，尤其是那些居住在农村地区的居民。鉴于需要有关这些植物性食物中特定营养素含量的定量信息，我们在尼日尔共和国收集了干南瓜（南瓜属）种子和油莎豆坚果，并分析了它们的必需氨基酸、矿物质、微量元素和脂肪酸含量。以干重计，南瓜籽含有58.8%的蛋白质和29.8%的脂肪。然而，相对于粮农组织/世界卫生组织的蛋白质标准，该蛋白质的赖氨酸评分仅为65%。南瓜籽含有适量的亚油酸（92微克/克干重）以及以下元素（以每克干重微克计）：钾（5790）、镁（5690）、锰（49.3）、锌（１１３）、硒（1.29）、铜（15.4）、铬（2.84）和钼（0.81），但钙和铁含量较低。除钾（5573微克/克干重）和铬（2.88微克/克干重）外，油莎豆坚果所含的这些营养素比南瓜籽少得多。总之，南瓜籽是人类许多必需营养素的有用来源。本报告中的数据对撒哈拉以南非洲农村地区的公共卫生官员具有实际价值。
