Copyright © 2012 by Modern Scientific Press Company, Florida, USA International Journal of Modern Biology and Medicine, 2012, 1(1): 82-88 International Journal of Modern Biology and Medicine Journal homepage: www.ModernScientificPress.com/Journals/IJBioMed.aspx ISSN: 2165-0136 Florida, USA Article Comparative Proximate Analysis of Three Edible Leafy Vegetables Commonly Consumed in Zaria, Nigeria H. A. Mohammed 1 , S. B. Mada 1, * , A. Muhammad 1 , A. Olagunju 1 , A. Garba 1 , A. Mohammed 1 , Y. Garba 2 , A. D. Joseph 1 1 Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria 2 School of Health Technology, Tsafe, Zamfara State, Nigeria * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: madasko@yahoo.com; Tel.: +2348036355879. Article history: Received 26 March 2012, Received in revised form 17 April 2012, Accepted 18 April 2012, Published 19 April 2012. Abstract: The proximate, anti-nutritional and mineral compositions of three vegetables green amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor), bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and fluted pumpkin (Teilferia occidentalis) consumed in Zaria, Nigeria were investigated. The results obtained revealed the presence of nutritional, anti-nutritional and mineral composition in these selected vegetables. Among the vegetables investigated bitter leaf has the highest amount of moisture (62%) and carbohydrates (67%). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the nutritional values of the fresh vegetables compared to the dried ones. Also the results revealed that bitter leaf has the highest amount of anti-nutrients. However there is also appreciable amount of minerals with Amaranthus having the highest calcium (40 ppm) and zinc (1.3 ppm). Iron content is relatively high in both ugu leaf (Teilferia) and Amaranthus and low in bitter leaf (Vernonia). Therefore this study found that the dried forms of these vegetables tend to supply high amount of nutritional and mineral components as well as more energy than the fresh forms. Keywords: vegetables; proximate composition; anti-nutritional factors; minerals. 1. Introduction Vegetables are fresh and edible portion of herbaceous plants which can be eaten raw or cooked (Dhellot et al., 2006; Fayemi, 1999). Leafy or salad vegetables are mainly eaten in fresh forms. They