Figure 1: The role of baobab in hinderingthe path of oxidative stress and subsequenthealth problems

(a) Flavonoids Fl-OH scavenge ROS (Ro) and neutralize it to RH by two steps reaction;
(b) Binding sites for trace minerals where Men+ indicates metal ions

Figure 2: Antioxidant actions of flavonoids
Parts DM (g/100g)

C (mg/100g)

Mg (mg/100g)

Fe (mg/100g)

Zn (mg/100g)

Vitamin (mg/100g)

ß-carotene (µg/100g)

 Source
Leaves 92 1582 339 65 4   135 Chadare et al. 2008[10]
91-93 307-2640 93-549 12-254 0.7-22   107-156
91.8 1.5 2.5         Abioye et al. 2014* [22]
90-94 0.8-1.5 1.5-3.7        
272 46         103 Bamali et al. 2014 [1]
200-315 31-55         54-157
Pulp 88 302 195 4 1.7 290   Chadare et al. 2008
73 - 98 3-701 100-300 1.1-10.4 0.5-3.2 209-360  
88 317 148 6 0.8 108   LFR 2009 [23]
  257-370 126-179 4-9 0.7-1.0 74-163  
90 345 199 10   67   Cissé I et al. 2013[24]
  293       280   Rahul et al. 2015 [8]
  341 209 1.7 1.04 337   Bamali et al. 2014
313 152 6.5 0.89       LFR 2009
257-370 126-179 3.9-9.1 3.9-9.1 108    
        478     Parkouda et al. 2011 [14]
        397 - 575    
Seeds 93 252 402 5 5     Chadare et al. 2008
92-94 30-395 282-696 2-7 2.6-7.3    
  395 352 1.8 2.7     Rahul et al. 2015 [8]

*The results are relatively low and the variability is due to drying methods (under the sun, under shade, cabinet dried)

Table 1: The nutrient composition (mean and range) of baobab leaves, pulps and seeds in dry matter basis
Foodstuffs Moisture % Crude fiber % Ca Mg/100g Fe Mg/100g Vitamin C Mg/100g ß-carotene µg/100g Retinol µg/100g

Cereals

 10.4 4 39.3 6.25      
9-12 1.0-8.0 3-92 2-12      

Legumes

 10.4 6.4 149 11.9 16 95  
10-11 5.7-6.8 90-152 6.7-18   60-30  

Leafy vegs

 90 1.1 89 1.4   620  
83-93 0.4-1.6 47-32 0.7-3.1 54 100-430  

Fruits

 87 0.88 18 0,68 35 303  
80-93 0.4 - 1.8 3,0-38 0.1-1.8 16-74 25-950  

Meat

 61   10 4.2     2
46 - 77   9 - 11 3.6 – 4.8      

Cows’ milk

85.2

 		  

143

      

95

Fish

 75   32 1.7      

FAO. 2009 [28]

Cereals = sun dried whole grain - maize, rice, barley, teff, wheat

Legumes = sun dried whole seed - beans, cowpea, garden peas

Leafy veg = fresh vegetables - cabbage, kale, lettuce

Fruits = fresh fruits - Tomato, apple, avocado, mango, lemon sweet, mandarin, orange, papaya, peach, pear, pine apple

Meat = row - beef, mutton, pork

Fish = filet, average all kinds

Table 2: Nutrient composition as-is (mean and range) of some common foodstuffs for comparison with baobab (Table 1)
Products Ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity Torlox equivalent antioxidant capacity Integrated antioxidant capacity (IAC) µmol/g
Baobab pulp 75.0±0.005 25.0±0.0015

240.5
Baobab leaves 23.0±0.002 24.5±0.003 89.0
Baobab seeds 16.0±0.007 6.5±0.0004 51.4
Orange fruit 17.0±0.015 0.29±0.0015 24.3
Strawberry fruit 1.72±0.006 0.36±0.006 5.3

Source: Besco et al. (2007) [61]

Table 3: Antioxidant capacity of baobab and of antioxidant-rich common food resources in μmol/g