Effect of cooking methods on retention of nutrients of drumstick leaves (Moringa oleifera L.)

Drumstick (Moringa oleifera L.) leaves are very perceptive to cooking. To determine the suitable cooking method for better nutrient retention and decrease antinutritional factors in drumstick leaves five cooking methods i.e. boiling, blanching, pressure cooking, microwave cooking and sauteing were applied on drumstick leaves. Cooking methods decreased the nutrients and antinutritional factors in drumstick leaves while increased total phenolic content and â-carotene. Iron and calcium retention were found maximum in sauteing (>90%) while minimum in boiling (50–87%). Sauteing was also found to decrease antinutritional factors as 0.53% phytates and 6.36% oxalates respectively. Among the wet cooking methods, pressure cooking was superior to retain maximum â-carotene (66.8%), ascorbic acid (86.4%), and iron (94.8%) with decrease in phytates (18.1%) and oxalates (47.3%) in drumstick leaves. Thus pressure cooking is the most suitable cooking method to maintain nutritional quality of drumstick leaves.