It has been reported that plants that experience some form of stress while growing tend to accumulate increased levels of nutrients that are useful to humans. We compare the proximate and mineral composition of Tamarindus indica leaves, fruit pulp and seeds from Uganda’s semi-arid and sub-humid zones with contrasting environmental conditions including temperature, rainfall, soils and geology. Samples were analyzed following standard AOAC procedures. Mineral content was in the order K > Ca > Mg > Na > Fe and K > Mg > Ca > Na > Fe for the semi-arid and subhumid zones respectively. Tamarindus indica fruit pulp and leaves from both zones plus seeds from the semi-arid zone contained the Na/K ratio of < 1 recommended by World Health Organisation for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Proximate composition for leaves, fruit pulp and whole seeds were in the following ranges: Moisture content (9.83–69.42%), ash (1.93–11.6%), carbohydrate (64.74–88.7%), crude lipid (0.96–3.57%), crude fiber (0.89–14.93%), and crude protein (4.59–14.82%). Leaves contained higher levels of crude protein, crude lipid and crude fibre than fruit pulp. Tamarindus indica from the semi-arid zone tends to accumulate nutrients in ways that better promote human health. Tamarindus indica from both zones has high potential to provide functional foods and livestock feeds.

中文翻译：

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乌干达半干旱和半湿润地区的罗望子（Tamarindus indica L.）的营养潜力

据报道，在生长过程中遇到某种形式的压力的植物往往会积累对人类有用的营养物质。我们比较了乌干达半干旱和半湿润地区的罗望子leaves叶片，果肉和种子的近缘和矿物成分，并对比了包括温度，降雨，土壤和地质在内的环境条件。按照标准AOAC程序分析样品。在半干旱和半湿润地区，矿物质含量分别为K> Ca> Mg> Na> Fe，K> Mg> Ca> Na> Fe。罗望子果两个地区的果肉和叶子加上半干旱地区的种子含有的Na / K比<1，这是世界卫生组织为预防和治疗心血管疾病所建议的。叶片，果肉和整个种子的最接近组成在以下范围内：水分（9.83–69.42％），灰分（1.93–11.6％），碳水化合物（64.74–88.7％），粗脂质（0.96-3.57％），粗纤维（0.89–14.93％）和粗蛋白（4.59–14.82％）。叶片所含的粗蛋白，粗脂质和粗纤维含量高于果肉。来自半干旱地区的罗望子往往以更好地促进人类健康的方式积累养分。来自这两个地区的罗望子果都具有提供功能性食品和牲畜饲料的巨大潜力。