The Use of Indigenous Green Leafy Vegetables in the Preparation of Ghanaian Dishes

Abstract

Background: The study assessed uses of Indigenous Green Leafy Vegetables (IGLV’s) in the preparation of Ghanaian dishes. Expensive exotic vegetables are patronized more than cheaper indigenous ones. Providing adequate nutritional information on IGLV’s together with recipe formulation could encourage consumption. The objectives were to highlight health benefits of IGLV’s, develop recipes from selected IGLV’s and determine their acceptability. Materials and methods: A self-developed questionnaire was administered to 40 randomly selected individuals to assess uses of IGLV’s in food preparation. Fifteen individuals (10 males and 5 females) out of the 40 were purposively selected to sensorily evaluate 10 recipes developed from 4 selected (IGLV’s) to ascertain their overall acceptability. Panelists’ scores were subjected to ANOVA and Tukey’s test at α ≤ 0.05. Results: Out of 10 (IGLV’s) identified by participants, only 4 were often used. Among the 4, Corchorusalitorius L. commonly called “Bush okra” was the most used and Dandelion was the least used. Recipes prepared with vegetables included stews, soups, salads and drinks and the soups were the most accepted by panel members who tasted. For overall acceptability, Ayoyo soup was judged the best followed by Dandefam and Dande pine swizzle the least. Flavor of the products differed significantly at α ≤ 0.05. Conclusions: IGLV’s could augment exotic vegetables in Ghanaian dishes if new tasty recipes are developed from hygienic vegetables and accepted by consumers. This will help keep the health value of the vegetables and promote the associated good health when eaten.