Evaluation of Nutritional Properties of dried Moringa (Moringa stenopetala) Leaves and Dried Moringa Leaves Infusion

Moringa demand is currently increased in Ethiopia due to its nutritional and medicinal values. However, there is no as such information about their dried leaves and infusion nutritional properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dried leaves and infusion nutritional properties. The dried leaves of Moringa were characterized for proximate, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. The result shows dried Moringa leaf had 6 g/100 g moisture, 11.2 g/100 g ash, 25.3 g/100 g crude protein, 6.9 g/100 g crude fat, 9.3 g/100 g crude fiber, 41.30 g/100 g carbohydrate, 1300.7 mg/100 g Ca, 128.9 mg/100 g Na, 330.9 mg/100 g K, 1056.6 mg/100 g Mg, 47.7 mg/100 g Fe, 1.8 mg/100 g Zn, 0.8 mg/100 g Cu, 3.4 mg/100 g Mn, 2.6 mg GAE*/g total phenolic content, 11.9 mg CE/g total flavonoid content, 3.3 mg CE/g Condensed tannin content, 0.48 (IC-50, g/mL) DPPH scavenging, 2.27 mg AAE/g Ferric reducing power and 1.23 mg BHTE/g total antioxidant. This study provides evidence on the dried Moringa leaves nutritional properties and its leave infusion antioxidant and phytochemicals properties.