Evaluation of Mineral Composition of Some Wild Edible Plants Growing in the Eastern Anatolia Region Grasslands of Turkey and Consumed as Vegetable

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the mineral contents and some nutritional properties of four wild edible plants (Bellevalia forniculata, Beta corolliflora, Caltha polypetala and Primula auriculata) growing in the grasslands of Eastern Anatolia Region, Turkey and are consumed as vegetable. This is the first scientific report on the nutritional composition of these species. The moisture content, pH, ash and total nitrogen content of the plants ranged from 79.73 to 86.10%, 4.85 to 5.61, 7.33 to 17.12% and 1.68 to 3.77%, respectively. Mineral analysis showed that the wild plants contained considerably high amounts of potassium (892.93–2,663.63 mg/100 g), phosphorus (239.57–636.77 mg/100 g), calcium (279.90–341.33 mg/100 g), magnesium (103.43–363.27 mg/100 g), iron (11.06–37.13 mg/100 g), manganese (1.56–5.39 mg/100 g) and zinc (2.28–3.36 mg/100 g). Mineral compositions of the plants varied significantly depending on the species. B. corolliflora had the richest content of minerals. Practical Applications Many wild edible plants naturally growing in grasslands are traditionally used in human diet in Turkey. Recently, there has been an increasing interest to assess the nutritional properties of wild edible plants. In this study, the mineral contents and some nutritional properties of four wild edible plants consumed as vegetable in the Eastern Anatolia grasslands of Turkey, namely Bellevalia forniculata, Beta corolliflora, Caltha polypetala and Primula auriculata, were determined. The present study revealed that, in general, mineral contents of the wild edible plants studied were higher than that of the commercial vegetables. These wild plants could serve as good and cheap sources of minerals in human diet and they can help to overcome the mineral deficiencies especially in the rural areas.