Proximate Composition Analysis of Paullinia pinnata L Leaves

Despite wide consumption of Paullinia pinnata leaves for both nutritional and therapeutic purposes, little is known about its proximate composition. Proximate analysis of Paullinia pinnata leaf sample is important for the plant’s quality and safety, its product development and labelling. Moisture content, crude fibre, protein, carbohydrate, lipid and ash content were determined in this work by standard methods. Results obtained revealed that protein has 13.13±1.22% contents, lipid (1.79±0.05%), ash (7.61±0.90%), moisture (8.69±1.10%), crude fibre (15.49±2.30%) and carbohydrate (53.29±4.90%). Furthermore, the proximate composition showed that carbohydrate (53.29±4.90%) and lipid (1.79±0.05%) have the highest and lowest values respectively. The result suggests that Paullinia pinnata L leaves is not just a very good source of carbohydrate for our daily diet but that the plant poses no health risk to both the young and also the elderly whom consumption of high-fat diet may predispose to cardiovascular diseases.