Abstract
Species of unconventional food plants of the genus Sonchus are widely consumed in rural populations living in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This study investigated the nutritional composition of S. oleraceus, S. asper, and S. arvensis species. The centesimal composition was investigated according to the norms of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, the occurrence and concentration of carotenoids and vitamins through High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, and minerals with the aid of atomic emission spectrometry in inductively coupled plasma. There was no significant difference between the water content found in the three species. However, S. asper showed higher concentrations of lipids (1.32 g/100 g), carbohydrates (0.34 g/100 g), total carotenoids (5.58 mg/100 g), and Ca (96.25 mg/100 g), while S. arvensis had the highest concentration of vitamins E (72.98 μg/100 g) and K (604.85 mg/100 g). S. oleraceus showed higher concentrations of Fe (23.74 mg/100 g). Statistically, fibers and ash presented the same proportions in S. asper and S. arvensis, as well as proteins in S. oleraceus and S. asper species. The availabilities of these vegetables together with their high nutritional value are important factors that contribute to ensuring food security for families that have these species in their diet.
Highlights
Unconventional food plants are species with spontaneous spread, receive no handling, and are found along roads, in orchards, in the middle of a pasture, and other agricultural crops
S. asper showed higher concentrations of lipids (1.32 g/100 g), carbohydrates (0.34 g/100 g), total carotenoids (5.58 mg/100 g), and Ca (96.25 mg/100 g), while S. arvensis had the highest concentration of vitamins E (72.98 μg/100 g) and K (604.85 mg/100 g)
The results found in the concentration of minerals in S. oleraceus are in accordance with some minerals available in the Brazilian Food Composition Table, which in turn is based on the Food Recommendations Guide of the World Health Organization (WHO), such as Mg (30 mg/100 g) and Cu (0.20 mg/100 g) [36]
Summary
Unconventional food plants are species with spontaneous spread, receive no handling, and are found along roads, in orchards, in the middle of a pasture, and other agricultural crops. Medicinal plants have become a worldwide topic drawing an impact on world health. Herbal medicine has played a crucial role in the maintenance of the healthcare system of the wide population throughout the world. Silver nanoparticles are effective antiangiogenesis, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, and antiviral agents [1, 2]. They are food plant species that, with the beginning of the modernization in farming, have not undergone the process of genetic improvement aiming at their technical production. They are found in all biomes in Brazil, and some of them predominate in certain regions [3]
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