Nutritional composition of Sweet Potato Leaves (Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam) Grown in Kisangani, D.R. Congo.

Sweet potato leaves (Ipomoea batatas(L) Lam) are a common vegetable in Kisangani. Even though there are many types of sweet potato plants, people here tend to prefer certain varieties. This study aimed to provide consumers with information on the nutrient content of a few local sweet potato leaf varieties to help them make informed food choices. We studied three varieties:« Matembelabangi, »(bought from the market), « Kilo moya » and«Damu » (harvested from a 2.5-month-old field). After cleaning, the leaves were cut, dried in an oven at 55°C, and then ground into a powder. These powders were used for chemical analysis, except for moisture content, which was measured directly from fresh leaves. We analyzed: moisture, crude ash, crude protein, total fats, crude fiber, minerals (Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, and Phosphorus), and vitamins (B1, B2, and B6). Here are the results for « Matembelabangi, »« Kilo moya, » and »« Damu, » respectively: Moisture (%): 91.3; 84.3; 85.5 and Crude Ash (%): 9.5; 5.1; 3.6 and Crude Protein (%): 24.4; 24.3; 22.3 and Total Fats (%): 5.0; 3.7; 3.7 and Crude Fiber (%): 12.9; 10.0; 10.0 and Iron (mg/100g): 1.675; 0.84; 0.84 and Calcium (mg/100g): 33.0; 28.0; 27.0 and Magnesium (mg/100g): 76.6; 48.8; 50.8 and Phosphorus (mg/100g): 800; 820; 980 and Thiamine (B1): 0.18 mg/100g and Riboflavin (B2): 0.18 mg/100g and Pyridoxine (B6): 0.28 mg/100g Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the « Matembelabangi» and « Damu»varieties in their crude ash, phosphorus, and iron content