Wild Leafy Vegetables Research Articles

Salinity modulates morpho-physiology, biochemical and antioxidant defence system in Tetragonia decumbens Mill.: a neglected wild leafy vegetable in South Africa

Salinity modulates morpho-physiology, biochemical and antioxidant defence system in Tetragonia decumbens Mill.: a neglected wild leafy vegetable in South Africa

Phytodiversity of Species Used to Prepare "Tchonron" Sauce, A Cultural Dish of The Senoufo People, Northern Côte d’Ivoire

The Sénoufo, a people from the north of Côte d'Ivoire, are renowned for their consumption of leafy vegetables, particularly in the little-known ‘TCHONRON’ sauce. The aim of this study is to draw up a list of the leafy vegetables used in the preparation of this dish, in order to enhance their value and contribute to the sustainable management of these plant genetic resources. To this end, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out among 640 Senufo indigenous people, using a questionnaire. A total of 40 leafy vegetable species belonging to 28 genera and 20 families were identified. In fact, the most represented families are Solanaceae, Amaranthaceae and Asteraceae. The majority of these species are herbs (58%). Of these species, 25% are introduced (exotic); they are used as substitutes for wild leafy vegetables by the population in times of scarcity. On the other hand, introduced species contribute to the diversity of leafy vegetables used in the preparation of “TCHONRON” sauce. In addition, the leafy vegetables used to prepare this local product are dominated by Guinean-Congolese and Sudanese-Zambezian (GC-SZ) species, representing 55% of all species inventoried. This study reveals that the leafy vegetables used to prepare the “TCHONRON” sauce are diversified, and that the consumption of this sauce, a product of the Senoufo region, is not only cultural, but also contributes to the prevention of several diseases.

Optimizing vertical farm cultivation of Cichorium spinosum L.: White Light's influence and nutrition management

The objective of this study was to examine the integration of a wild leafy vegetable, Cichorium spinosum L., in vertical farms. This research comprises two experiments focusing on different “white” light products and nutrient solutions. During both experiments, the temperature varied between 25 and 28 °C, relative humidity ranged from 50 to 70 %, carbon dioxide was at 450 ppm, and light intensity was set at 300 μmol m−2 s−1 respectively. In the lighting experiment, the three spectra used had the commercial names Neutral, Full and a SunLike™, and their spectral composition (blue:green:red:far-red) were 14:32:43:10, 16:36:40:8, and 21:34:36:7 respectively. The photoperiod was set to 12 h and the plant density was 50 plants m−2. Results showed no significant impact on agronomical parameters and leaf anatomy. The stomatal length and width decreased as the red:blue ratio of the light sources decreased, being greater in the Neutral treatment (red:blue ratio of 3.1) compared to the Full and SunLike™ (red:blue ratios of 2.5 and 1.7 respectively). Based on these results the preferable “white light” product was the one with the highest efficiency and lowest market price at the time of the experiment. In the nutrient solution experiment, the agronomical and nutritional attributes of stamnagathi plants supplied with a control nutrient solution, “N10-Fe15” were compared to plants cultivated under limited nitrogen, “N4-Fe15” and elevated iron, “N10-Fe48”, EC was 1.5 ds m−1, and pH was 5.6–6.5. The experiment simulated commercial practices by increasing the photoperiod to 15 h and plant density to 100 plants per square meter. The results did not demonstrate significant effect of the nutrient solution differences on the agronomical characteristics except from a decrease in total Kjeldahl nitrogen under limited nitrogen conditions. Notably, leaf tissue phosphorus content increased under elevated iron conditions. The nitrate content remained within safe for consumption thresholds for all treatments. Based on these results, stamnagathi can be integrated in vertical farms under limited nitrogen conditions. Stamnagathi's resilience to elevated iron in the nutrient solution demonstrated its potential for future biofortification experiments.

Exploring the potential of wild leafy vegetables widespread in European Alps as functional food

Wild leafy vegetables, historically vital for Alpine biodiversity and nutrition during hardship, are regaining importance due to the demand for healthy and sustainable food. This study evaluated mineral and phytochemical compositions of eight species: Achillea millefolium, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Bistorta officinalis, Blitum bonus-henricus, Phyteuma betonicifolium, Plantago lanceolata, Silene vulgaris, Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum. Total trace element concentrations ranged from 26 mg kg−1 (T. officinalis) to 92 mg kg−1 (B. officinalis), and potential toxic elements were below legal limits. The sum of the phenolic compounds analysed ranged from 155.30 mg GAE 100 g−1 FW (A. millefolium) to 1200.38 mg GAE 100 g−1 FW (A. xanthochlora). Flavanols were the most abundant phenolic class, but cinnamic acids, flavonols, benzoic acids and vitamin C also showed high values in the analysed species, contributing to high antioxidant activity (from 0.59 μmol TE g−1 FW in A. millefolium to 149.39 μmol TE g−1 FW in A. xanthochlora for DPPH). Overall, A. xanthochlora stood out for its richness in phenolic compounds. These findings underscore wild vegetables potential as functional foods, offering bioactive compounds comparable to or exceeding cultivated plants. Emphasizing preservation of traditional diets and rural innovation, this research supports the integration of wild leafy vegetables into contemporary nutrition strategies.

Ecological factors affecting minerals and nutritional quality of "Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott": an underutilized wild leafy vegetable in rural communities.

Dryopteris filix-mas (hereafter D. filix-mas), a wild leafy vegetable, has gained popularity among high mountain residents in the Hindukush-Himalaya region due to its exceptional nutritional profile, and their commercial cultivation also offers viable income alternatives. Nevertheless, besides phytochemicals with medicinal applications, ecological factors strongly affect their mineral contents and nutritional composition. Despite this, little has been known about how this wild fern, growing in heterogeneous ecological habitats with varying soil physiochemical properties and coexisting species, produces fronds with optimal mineral and nutritional properties. Given its nutritional and commercial significance, we investigated how geospatial, topographic, soil physiochemical characteristics and coexisting plants influence this widely consumed fern's mineral and nutrient content. We collected soil, unripe fern fronds, and associated vegetation from 27 D. filix-mas populations in Swat, NW Pakistan, and were analyzed conjointly with cluster analysis and ordination. We found that the fronds from sandy-loam soils at middle elevation zones exhibited higher nitrogen contents (9.17%), followed by crude fibers (8.62%) and fats (8.09%). In contrast, juvenile fronds from the lower and high elevation zones had lower moisture (1.26%) and ash (1.59%) contents, along with fewer micronutrients such as calcium (0.14-0.16%), magnesium (0.18-0.21%), potassium (0.72-0.81%), and zinc (12% mg/kg). Our findings indicated the fern preference for middle elevation zones with high organic matter and acidic to neutral soil (pH ≥ 6.99) for retaining higher nutritional contents. Key environmental factors emerged from RDA analysis, including elevation (r = -0.42), aspect (r = 0.52), P-3 (r = 0.38), K+ (r = 0.41), EC (r = 0.42), available water (r = -0.42), and field capacity (r = -0.36), significantly impacting fern frond's mineral accumulation and nutrient quality enhancement. Furthermore, coexisting plant species (r = 0.36) alongside D. filix-mas played a pivotal role in improving its mineral and nutritional quality. These findings shed light on the nutritional potential of D. filix-mas, which could help address malnutrition amidst future scarcity induced by changing climates. However, the prevalent environmental factors highlighted must be considered if the goal is to cultivate this fern on marginal lands for commercial exploitation with high mineral and nutrient yields in Hindukush-Himalaya.

Elemental levels in frequently consumed local leafy vegetables from three villages with chronic kidney disease prevalence

Studies on elemental levels in frequently consumed local edibles in any region with a localized disease are meaningful. The present study has identified the levels of 24 elements in nine (6 cultivated and 3 wild) frequently consumed local leafy vegetables from three chronic kidney disease prevalent villages (a total 27samples) using ICP-MS. The comparison of obtained levels of these elements with WHO/FAO permissible values reveals the levels of Ba in all the tested samples, Pb in 15 samples is in excess, whereas Fe and Zn levels are below the required levels, and the other elements are in the permissible levels. Among the 27 tested samples, a high level of Ba was found in Allium cepa of L3, and Pb was in Amaranthus viridis of L2. Among the leafy vegetables Allium cepa from L3 and Amaranthus viridis from L2 showed high levels of Ba and Pb, respectively. In the three locations studied, average Ba and Pb levels are found more in Borivanka (L3) followed by Kusumapuram (L1) and Varaka (L2). Ba levels are excess in both cultivated and wild leafy vegetables, while Pb levels are slightly higher in cultivated than the wild leafy vegetables, which may be due to the usage of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. The present study signifies that frequent consumption of such leafy vegetables may influence the renal functioning in this area, along with other factors like drinking water, other edibles.

Profiling of Secondary Metabolites from Crassocephalum crepidioides (Wild Leafy Vegetable): Validation of Ethnomedicinal Claim by in-vitro and in-silico Studies

Crassocephalum crepioides, labeled as poor man’s food is one of the neglected and underutilized vegetables in Nigeria. The objective of this paper is therefore to validate the ethnomedicinal claim and profile the secondary metabolites of Crassocephalum crepidioides (Wild Leafy Vegetable) using in-vitro and in-silico investigations. The identification of compounds in the leaf extract with the potential to inhibit 1Z32 alpha-amylase was carried out in-silico. Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) was employed for analysis of the ethanolic leaf extract of this plant, it revealed the presence of sinapic acid, 3-Feruloylquinic acid, dihydroquercetin, malic acid, gallic acid in the extract. Site-directed multi-ligand docking of the identified compounds was performed on 1Z32 protein of alpha-amylase molecular target using the synthetic co-crystallized ligand from the protein. The binding affinity of 3-Feruloylquinic acid (-9.4 kcal/mol) is significantly the highest when compared with sinapic acid (-8.3 kcal/mol). The interactions of this molecule with the amino acids of the protein showed that the mechanism of its inhibitory action is similar to that of the co-crystallized ligand. This study validated an earlier report that the ethanol leaf extract from C. crepidioides showed excellent antidiabetic activity, however, the antidiabetic activity could occur through its alpha-amylase inhibitory activity. Data obtained revealed that C. crepidioides could be an important wild vegetable that could require further advanced exploration rather than neglect.

Proximate and mineral composition of some wild leafy vegetables consumed in Katsina State Nigeria

In Sub Saharan Africa, people utilised wild leafy vegetables and herbs in order to meet the daily recommended nutritional requirements for the betterment of health and general well being, In this study, seven wild leafy vegetables consumed in Katsina State, Nigeria were studied for their proximate analysis and mineral composition. B. salicifolia (Capparaceae), T. globiferus (Loranthaceae), F. glumosa (Moraceae), C. religiosa (Capparaceae), M. angolensis (Capparaceae), S.occidentalis (Fabaceae) and P.thonningii (Fabaceae), were evaluated using standard methods. The results showed that, Carbohydrates is the most abundant nutrient present in the selected plants. The crude protein ranged from 13.23– 9.33.% with F. .glumosa and B. salicifolia providing the highest amount. The elemental analysis in ppm/l revealed the presence of Iron, Calcium within recommended daily values and low level of heavy metals in all the samples. The selected plants may therefore be considered as viable and cheap sources of dietary nutrients and their incorporation in diets may be said to be scientifically justifiable..

Nutritional composition of the wild variety of edible vegetables consumed by the tribal community of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Humans established relations with food with their existence on earth. In various parts of the world, different types of vegetation are used as food material. Chhattisgarh, where numbers of tribes exist and used a leafy portion of various plants as a food material. The present study evaluated the total protein, total carbohydrate, and total free amino acid content in leafy vegetables used in Chhattisgarh. Total protein was estimated by Lowry method, while total carbohydrate and free amino acid content by Anthrone method and spectrophotometric method. The result showed highest protein contained in Tamarindus indica (103.98 ± 2.34 μg/mg) followed by Moringa olerifera (99.86 ± 2.32 μg/mg), Cicer arietinum (95.53 ± 2.78 μg/mg). The highest carbohydrate content was observed in the leaf of Amaranthus viridis (116.26 ± 2.33 μg/mg of plant tissue) followed by Marsilea vestita with carbohydrate content (82.35 ± 1.55 μg/mg), Chorchorus olitorius with carbohydrate content (50.46 ± 2.23 μg/mg), and highest free amino acid content was recorded in the leaves of (232.33 ± 2.05 μg/mg of plant tissue) followed by Brassica oleracea (204.94 ± 1.25 μg/mg), Cucurbita maxima (85.67 ± 2.35μg/mg). The study’s finding confirmed that wild leafy vegetables utilized by the special community of this area play a significant role in their livelihood as those vegetables contain higher nutrient level compared to conventional crops. As per the data reported, more than one million people of this region suffer from malnutrition so present study is an approach to overcome the health issue of people of this region in a sustainable manner

Wild leafy vegetables: A potential source for a traditional Mediterranean food from Lebanon

IntroductionIn Lebanon, wild leafy vegetables (WLVs) continue to be an essential component of people's diet. Nevertheless, little ethnobotanical research has addressed this important potential source for food and nutrition.MethodsIn this study, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out between 2018 and 2022 across 21 villages/towns involving 151 local informants by semi-structured interviews.Results and discussionA list of 158 plant species which was still gathered and consumed by traditional Lebanese communities was compiled. The species belonged to 21 families and the most diverse families were Asteraceae (77 species), Brassicaceae (22), and Apiaceae (11). Native species accounted for 147 of the cited species, five of which were endemics to Lebanon and Syria. According to the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) index, Anchusa azurea, Centaurea hyalolepis, Chondrilla juncea, Eruca vesicaria, Pseudopodospermum molle, Pseudopodospermum papposum, and Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum were reported for the first time among the top popular species. Basal rosettes were the main parts consumed both raw and/or cooked. Informants perceived a decline in availability primarily due to habitat loss and land degradation. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), six of cited species were classified as globally threatened (EN or VU), five of which were narrow endemics. These species scored substantial RFC values. Findings indicate that WEVs of Lebanon offer a promising potential to support food diversity and dietary quality of traditional communities and that threatened endemic species present a high conservation priority. Future research on nutritional contents of these species and highly rated WLVs is recommended.

Documentation of Wild Leafy Vegetable Plants of Chitwan, Nepal

Wild leafy vegetables are an important source of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and fibers. Local people of Chitwan rely on wild leafy vegetables. Knowledge of wild leafy vegetables is part of traditional practice. This paper revealed total 38 plant species belonging to 32 Genera under 30 families which are consumed by local inhabitants of Chitwan. Out of 38 plants species consumed as leafyvegetable, 26 taxa were herbs, 6 species are climbers, 5 plant species as to trees and only one was climbers. The harvesting season of leafy vegetables are variable. 15 leafy vegetables plants were harvested during rainy season, 8 spp. were harvested in summer season. 12 plant species were harvested throughout the year. Similarly; 32 plant species were used for vegetables; 3 spp. were used for spices.A few spp. was consumed as raw, pickle and topping purpose.

Bristly Oxtongue (Helminthotheca echioides (L.) Holub) Responses to Sowing Date, Fertilization Scheme, and Chitosan Application

Bristly oxtongue (Helminthotheca echioides (L.) Holub) is a broad-leaved weed species that is commonly found in cereal crops. However, it is also an edible species whose leaves are consumed at the rosette growth stage of the plant. Three pot experiments were conducted to evaluate different cultivation protocol suggestions for this underutilized wild leafy vegetable. In the first experiment, early sowing (14 October) increased the rosette diameter and fresh biomass of bristly oxtongue compared with late sowing (13 November). In the second experiment, the application of calcium ammonium nitrate (26-0-0) at a rate of 100 kg ha−1 (N10 treatment) increased the relative chlorophyll content in the leaves compared with the control treatment. Similarly, the highest rosette diameter, leaf number, and fresh biomass values were recorded in the N10 treatment, while chitosan application had no impact on growth of plants. In the third experiment, increased root dry biomass was obtained with top dressing application of calcium ammonium nitrate at a rate of 100 kg N ha−1 compared with 0 or 50 kg N ha−1, regardless of the basal fertilization (15-5-20) rate applied. Moreover, the highest rosette diameter, relative chlorophyll content, and fresh biomass values were recorded in the treatment where the highest top dressing rate of calcium ammonium nitrate was applied. In conclusion, our results reveal that the appropriate selection of the sowing date, as well as the combination of the basal fertilizer (15-5-20) at a rate of 250 kg ha−1 with 100 kg N ha−1 calcium ammonium nitrate, can maximize the growth and yield of bristly oxtongue.

Potassium Application Enhanced Plant Growth, Mineral Composition, Proximate and Phytochemical Content in Trachyandra divaricata Kunth (Sandkool).

Wild leafy vegetables are commonly included in the diet of people in rural homesteads. Among various wild edible vegetables in South Africa, Trachyandra divaricata (Sandkool) is one of the most abundant but underutilized due to the dearth of literature on its cultivation and nutritional value. In the present study, the effect of potassium application and pruning on growth dynamics, mineral composition, and proximate and phytochemical content in T. divaricata were evaluated. Treatments consisted of three potassium concentrations (0.0072, 0.0144, and 0.0216 M) supplemented in the form of potassium sulphate (K2SO4) with four pruning levels (unpruned, 5, 10, and 15 cm) applied in each treatment. The potassium doses were added to the nutrient solution, while the control treatment was sustained and irrigated with nutrient solution only. The results revealed a significant increase in flower bud yield, height, total dry and wet weight of shoots and roots, as well as ash and neutral detergent fibre in plants irrigated with 0.0072 M of K2SO4 without pruning. Conversely, chlorophyll content and Ca were comparable among treatments, while the highest yield of Na, P, N, and Zn was recorded in treatment 100 mL of K2SO4 with 10 cm pruning. Likewise, the highest antioxidant value (Polyphenols, Flavonol and DPPH) was obtained from plants irrigated with 0.0072 M of K2SO4 with 10 cm pruning. Based on these findings, T. divaricata is a promising leafy vegetable as a minimum dose (0.0072 M) of K with moderate pruning optimised its productivity in terms of growth, biomass parameters, nutritional content, and antioxidant potential. Due to its rich nutritional value, the plant should be domesticated and studied further for its potential nutraceutical benefits.

Influence of growth regulators and length of cuttings on the propagation potential of Piper pedicellatum C. DC. – A threatened wild leafy vegetable of North-East India

Piper pedicellatum C. DC. is a wild leafy vegetable belonging to the family Piperaceae and is categorized as threatened species. It is one of the widely used popular leafy vegetable in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Sikkim, locally known as Rahre, Raro or Rori. The species is rich in vitamin A, Vitamin C, minerals, dietary fibre, antioxidants, protein, and energy and is also used as an ethnomedicinal plant. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of growth regulators IBA and IAA and length of stem cuttings on propagation potential of P. pedicellatum C. DC in the Forestry Nursery of North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology during the years 2018 and 2019. The experiment revealed that the performance of stem cuttings viz., time taken for first sprouting, maximum sprout per cutting, length of sprouted shoot, number of leaves per cutting, and maximum fresh weight of shoot are found better in the treatment of T4 (L1 + IBA 1500 ppm), T7 (L1 + IAA 1500 ppm), T11 (L2 + IBA 1500 ppm) and T14 (L2 + IAA 1500 ppm), respectively. Similarly, the maximum number of roots per cutting, root length, fresh and dry weight of roots were also recorded in the treatment of T4 (L2 + IAA 1500 ppm) at par with T11 (L1 + IBA 1500 ppm) during both the year. The mean maximum survival rate of cuttings with a higher rooting percentage was observed in T11, which is at par with T7, T14, and T4. Although L2 cuttings performed better than L1 cuttings, the difference was not so prominent. Stem cuttings, irrespective of their length, treated with IBA 1500 ppm and IAA 1500 ppm showed significantly superior performance over the cuttings treated with lower concentrations of IBA and IAA. The outcome of the present study indicated that the P. pedicellatum is a promising wild leafy vegetable plant that can be exploited for conservation, domestication, and cultivation through the vegetative propagation technique, with standardization of its production technology for the adoption of commercial cultivation of the threatened species.

Health Benefits of Three Wild Leafy Vegetable in “Lalapan” as Sundanese Traditional and Ethnic Foods

Various ethnics of the world have a long history on using their surrounding as the source of foods. Foods which are act as product of traditional ethnic knowledge known as traditional and ethnic foods (TEF). Vegetables are one of the main ingredients of TEF. As sources of many combination of phytonutrients, vegetables offer various health benefits. As a country with long history of agricultural practice, Indonesia also has abundant knowledge of how Indonesian ethnics process and consume vegetables.Vegetables, in Sundanese tradition, usually consumed as “lalap” or “lalapan”. Some lalapan are cultivated vegetables and some others are come from wild sources. This article discuss the health benefits of wild source lalapan, which can be found in natural habitat.

Identification, Documentation and Utilization of Wild Green Leafy Vegetables from Tribal Region of Nashik District

From many years ago the tribal peoples commonly used numbers of wild leafy vegetables all over the world. Peth and Surgana are well known tribal region from Nashik district. The tribal community from that region was partially or fully dependent on the wild green leafy vegetables to complete their nutritional need. In present study from selected tribal region of Nashik district, a total 61 traditionally used wild green leafy vegetables was identified. Among 61 species, with respect to families Amaranthaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae were found to be largest family of wild leafy vegetables with 22 species. Presently because of modernization in agricultural practices, negligence of uncultivated plants, less awareness, illiteracy and sudden environmental changes the naturally grown wild leafy vegetables source was limited. So present study was focused on the identification and conservation of these species for future need.

Assessing the utility of selected photosynthetic and related traits in screening Amaranthus dubius Mart. ex Thell. and Galinsoga parviflora Cav. 1796 seedlings for elevated temperature stress tolerance

Wild leafy vegetables are of increasing interest because many have higher concentrations of some beneficial minerals, vitamins and nutrients than commercial crops. Some reports also indicate that they exhibit high levels of tolerance to abiotic stressors associated with climate change. The aim of this study was to investigate whether selected biochemical, physiological (related to photosynthesis) and morphological traits could be used to screen for elevated temperature tolerance in two wild leafy vegetable species, viz. Amaranthus dubius (C4) and Galinsoga parviflora (C3). One-month-old seedlings were transferred from a greenhouse to growth chambers and subjected to either ambient [25°C (day)/14°C (night)] or elevated [30°C (day)/19°C (night)] temperatures for 15 days. On days 0, 5, 10 and 15, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, selected biochemical, physiological and morphological traits were determined. Data for the 24 traits measured were used in plant trait network analyses to establish the populations’ phenotypic plasticity, including changes in the interactions/relationships amongst the traits when exposed to elevated temperatures. Sixteen traits showed significant differences between ambient and elevated temperatures on day 15, 11 in G. parviflora only, one in A. dubius only and four in both species. Those shared by the two species were intracellular hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, while specific leaf area was significantly different in A. dubius only. Both species altered biochemical leaf traits under elevated temperatures, while morphological leaf traits were altered in A. dubius only and photosynthetic leaf traits in G. parviflora only. In G. parviflora, the photosynthetic traits were more sensitive to elevated temperatures than in A. dubius. This suggests that photosynthetic traits may be ineffective for screening C4 species, due to them being highly evolved to survive in warmer climates. However, the results showed that photosynthetic traits could be useful as screening tools for C3 photosynthetic pathway species. The plant trait network analyses showed that both species displayed high phenotypic plasticity with a 5°C increase in temperature. We recommend when screening wild leafy vegetables for high temperature tolerance that photosynthetic traits be considered in the context of their phenotypic plasticity. This approach could fast-track the identification of more climate-resilient wild edible species.

Assessment of the Nutritional Value of Spontaneous Leafy Vegetables of Interest from the Marahoué (Côte D'ivoire) Region and Their Traditional Home Made Sauces

Local plant resources with high nutritional potential including wild leafy vegetables are an essential link in strategies to promote food security for low-income populations. However, little attention is paid to them, even in localities where their consumption is limited to the lean season. Thus, the evaluation of the nutritional contribution of five major spontaneous leafy vegetables (Acalypha ciliata – AC, Celosia trygina – CT, Cleome gynandra – CG, Solanum nigrum – SN, and Sesammum radiatum – SR) from the Marahoué region (Côte d'Ivoire) and their sauces was carried out. Biochemical properties were investigated. The five spontaneous leafy vegetables very rich in water contained carotenoids (251 for CG and 48.71 for SR), total polyphenols (5138.31 for CT and 1483.51 for SR), flavonoids (44.21 for CT and 7.86 for AC), and tannins (874.85 for CT and 356.00 for AC), in mg/100g DM, respectively in high concentrations. Protein, ash, lipid and fiber contents were similar to those of cultivated leafy vegetables. Only, the traditional method allowed a retention rate of 9.10 to 30.11% of micronutrients with antioxidant potential. The residual contents are sufficient to cover the needs of children and women. Spontaneous leafy vegetables are therefore good sources of molecules with antioxidant value to be valued in the context of the prevalence of diseases related to oxidative stress.

Nutritional and Functional Properties of Wild Leafy Vegetables for Improving Food Security in Southern Angola

In Southern Angola, numerous non-woody forest products are sold at local markets, namely in Lubango (Huíla Province). Such is the case of herbaceous wild plants, locally known aslombi, which are sold fresh throughout the year and cooked as a vegetable. Although these wild leafy vegetables are commercialized and widely used in local food, there is still a lack of scientific knowledge about their properties. Thus, this study aimed to identify and characterize the species sold, and to determine their nutritional and functional properties. Our results revealed that three species—Amaranthus hybridus, Bidens pilosa, andGalinsoga parviflora—are usually sold at Lubango markets and consumed by local populations. These are annual exotic plants, native to Southern America, and usually occur spontaneously in croplands or disturbed areas, but can also be cultivated, particularlyA. hybridus. Physico-chemical analyses oflombispecies and mixtures sold at the markets included measurements of moisture, protein, lipid, and mineral content, as well as total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and levels of heavy metal contaminants. The results revealed thatlombicontain a significant amount of protein (20–28 g/100 g, dry basis), high values of macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as of phenolic compounds (10–40 mg GAE/g) and a good antioxidant capacity. Given the availability oflombithroughout the year, our study demonstrated the importance of wild edible plants in Angola, both as a valuable natural resources and as a complementary food sources, as well as additional sources of income for many families.

The Uncultivated and Wild Leafy Vegetable Consumption in Devarakonda

The Uncultivated and Wild Leafy Vegetable Consumption in Devarakonda