Derived Nutritional Norm from the Exudate of Raphia Sap and Roles of Its Elemental and Bioactive Constituents in Humans

Abstract

This paper is set to derive a nutritional norm for the elemental and the bioactive components of Raphiahookeri palm sap that could serve as Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) and to examine their roles in human health. Raphiahookeri palms were tapped and the exudates were collected. The elements were assayed for by using atomic absorption spectroscopy and the bioactive were assayed for by standard methods. The quantity of the exudate to be drunk in order to acquire the RDA for each nutrient was derived from the standard values quoted by the National Academy of Sciences. The volume of the exudate to be drunk is dependent on the quantity of the nutrients required to meet the RDA. Additionally, results revealed that the dietary nutrients detected in the exudate were present in varied concentrations. The nutrient detected could play significant roles in the human body where they function in structural components of organs or tissues, in biochemical reactions (metabolism), as cofactors in enzymes, and in the regulation of acid-base balance in body fluids. The large volumes for some cases per day could be concentrated and drunk/ or use as sweeteners.