Yusuf Ismail Koleleni
Physics Department, Muslim University of Morogoro, P.O. Box 1031, Morogoro, Tanzania.
In this post, we present a brief overview of our recently published book chapter titled “Geographical Variation in Mineral Composition of Tanzanian Ginger Roots Analysed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy”
This study has assessed the mineral composition of the elements (Ca, P, K, Fe, Na, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Se) in samples of ginger roots collected from Kilimanjaro, Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya, and Kagera regions. The respective mean concentrations of the analysed mineral elements were: 3 mg/kg (Ca), 3.00 mg/kg (Mg), 3.00 mg/kg (Fe), 3.00 mg/kg (P), 3.00 mg/kg (K), 3.00 mg/kg (Na), 2.40 mg/kg (Cu), 2.80 mg/kg (Mn), and 0.00 mg/kg (Se). Selenium occurs naturally due to erosion of rocks containing salinities and selenides, which are associated with sulphide minerals. Its abundance in the earth’s crust is very low, estimated at 0.0005 mg/kg to 0.001 mg/kg.
The mineral content recommended ginger roots for high content in K (2442.75 g/kg), Ca (1031 g/kg), and Mg (663.25 g/kg). Statistical analysis was performed using PAST software, which runs on standard Windows computers and is available free online. The stability of the ginger sample increases after removing 58% of the free water. By applying cluster analysis using the single linkage algorithm and the Euclidean similarity measure, the data were grouped into 2 main clusters. The first cluster grouped the data for 19 minutes dehydration time, while the second cluster grouped the time period of 20–44 minutes, with a correlation coefficient of 0.7305. High content in potassium, calcium, and magnesium recommends ginger roots for frequent use in cooked foods.
The analysis of mineral elements in ginger roots provides valuable insight into their medicinal and nutritional properties. The presence of essential minerals such as Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn suggests that ginger can contribute to overall health and well-being. Although the medicinal properties of ginger have been known for thousands of years, a significant number of studies provide substantial evidence that ginger and its active compounds are effective against a wide variety of human diseases, including cancers such as gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma.
It can be fairly concluded that ginger roots are rich in mineral elements Ca, Fe, K, P, Mg, and Na, while slightly low in Cu, Zn, and Mn, and contain no Se. Ginger roots, therefore, can contribute significantly to food and nutritional security, since their composition highlights their status as a nutritious and versatile spice with a wide range of potential health benefits for consumers, provided that measures are taken to prevent contamination. Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life course helps prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanisation, and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns, with people consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars, and salt/sodium, while many do not eat enough fruits, vegetables, and other dietary fiber such as whole grains.
The exact make-up of a diversified, balanced, and healthy diet will vary depending on individual characteristics (e.g., age, gender, lifestyle, and physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods, and dietary customs. However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.