ISSN 2617-8001 (Print), ISSN 2664-5297 (Online)
Preliminary nutritional profile of ethnically edible wild leafy vegetable Lactuca serriola
Angadi H. Rajasab, Naga M. Sudheep, Kandikere R. Sridhar

Lactuca serriola is an ethnically edible wild leafy vegetable consumed by the rural population and tribals in southern India. Fresh and or cooked leaves serve as a popular diet especially for lactating women owing to their nutraceutical properties. This study evaluates the proximal features and mineral composition of fresh and cooked leaves of L. serriola. Results indicate that the proteins were about  25.2-25.7% of fresh weight. Carbohydrates were 20-20.8% and crude fiber 9.6%. Carbohydrates was higher in fresh samples compared to cooked samples (p<0.01). Among the seven minerals assessed, all of them were higher in fresh samples than cooked samples (p<0.05) as expected. The iron content was highest in both samples (11-18 mg/g) followed by manganese (2.4-3.6 mg/g). Among the minerals, only manganese and iron fulfilled the NRC-NAS requirements for children and adults, while the magnesium in fresh samples satisfied the requirement of only infants. Fresh as well as cooked leaves provide nutritional benefits especially protein, fiber, carbohydrates, manganese, iron, and magnesium requirements.

Keywords: herb, minerals, proximal value, traditional knowledge, tribal nutrition, weed
References

ABCDE