Comparative Analysis of the Nutritional Qualities of Seeds of Shea Nut (Butyrospermum parkii) and Cocoa (Theobroma cacao)

This research work compares the chemical, nutritional and anti-nutritional compositions of shea nut (Vitellaria paradoxa) with cocoa (Theobroma cacao), and the effect of roasting on these properties.
The ash, crude fibre, fat and carbohydrate contents of the two seeds showed some similarities, while the theobromine content of the sheanut was higher than that of cocoa.
The mineral compositions of the two seeds were very low but the effect of roasting on the mineral content followed the same trend of increasing both the macro and micro elements contents of the samples.
The anti-nutrient compositions of the two seeds were similar, with roasting having an increasing effect on the anti-nutritional factors (phytic acid, oxalate and tannin) when compared with the raw samples. The results revealed that sheanut will be a suitable substitute for cocoa in industrial applications.