Abstract
Elrashad (Lepidium sativum L.) is a perennial plant that is cultivated in some regions of Saudi Arabia where the seeds are used for therapeutic and dietary purposes. The aim of this study was to obtain Elrashad seeds (Saudi cultivar) flour and analyse the flour for proximate, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids compositions. The results of study showed that Elrashad seeds contain high levels of protein (20.84%), fat (23.83%), and crude fibre (7.15%), on a dry weight basis. This study showed that Elrashad seeds may be considered as a good source of essential minerals, such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron. The fatty acid analysis showed that Elrashad seed oil contains high levels of unsaturated fatty acids (82.15%) such as the essential fatty acid linoleic acid (11.25%), and linolenic acid (30.07%). Further, results also revealed that Elrashad seed protein has fair amounts of essential amino acids, and the limiting amino acids are methionine and cysteine. These results may highlight the potential of Elrashad seeds as a source of chemical constituents that may be considered for human nutrition. Further studies are needed to investigate other nutritional aspects of Elrashad seeds.