Quantitative determination of water soluble vitamins, minerals and proximate compositions of three varieties of beans in Bauchi State Nigeria

The quantitative determination of water soluble vitamins, minerals and proximate compositions of three varieties of beans in Bauchi State, Nigeria, was carried out in this study. Three varieties of beans which includes one of the most commonly consumed species of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) locally called Kanannade, the least consumed (most rare) specie of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) locally called gayan-gayan and soybean (Glycine max) locally called waken soya found in Bauchi State, Nigeria were analysed. Results for the determination of the proximate composition shows that soybean (Glycine max) among three different samples had the highest protein content (34.21 %), ash content (3.11 %), Crude fat (25.30 %). While Cowpea (kanannade) has the highest Carbohydrate content (58.04 %) and Cowpea (gayan-gayan) has the highest Moisture contents (12.43 %) respectively. Soya bean has the highest contents of vitamin (B1, B3, and B6) for the three water soluble vitamins analysed although the values obtained were less than the recommended dietary allowance recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the Mineral composition of the two species of cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata), and soybean analysed, soybean had the highest content of most of the mineral elements. The concentration of potassium was found to be very much higher than all the other mineral elements that were determined in all the samples. The results from this analysis shows that the three varieties of beans analyzed were found to be rich in minerals and highly nutritious.Keywords: Vigna unguiculata, Glycine max, vitamins, minerals and proximate compositio