ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the nutritional composition, including major minerals, essential trace elements and toxic heavy metals of five different wild vegetables Dhekishak (Dryopteris filix-mas), Helencha (Enhydra fluctuans), Kalmishak (Ipomoea aquatica), Patshak (Corchorus capsularis) and Shapla stem (Nymphaea stellata) and their safety aspects. Methods: Proximate parameters moisture, ash, fat, fiber, protein, carbohydrate and energy; major minerals Na, K, Ca and Mg; trace elements Fe, Zn and Cu; and toxic heavy metals Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni and Hg were evaluated in the selected wild vegetables using the standard food analysis techniques. Results: The results from nutritional analysis showed that all the wild vegetables used in this study had a low content of crude fat and high content of moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fiber, carbohydrate and energy having the recommended dietary allowances. The vegetables were also rich in major minerals Na, K, Ca and Mg, sufficient in essential trace elements Fe, Cu and Zn while the heavy metals Pb, Cr and Ni were detected higher in amount in all the vegetables except Patshak than the limits recommended by Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. The heavy metals Cd and Hg were not detected in any vegetable. Conclusions: The outcome of this study suggests that the wild vegetables have very good nutritional potential to meet the recommended dietary allowances, but special awareness should be taken for public health concern about the high level of Pb, Cr and Ni which exceed the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization recommended limits for the metals in vegetables.
ABSTRACT
The tribal communities from different parts of the world depend on the wild plants and plant parts to fulfill their dietary needs. They have developed a unique knowledge of plant utilization. The present study aims to document the information about wild vegetables used by Muthuvan tribes of Idukki district of Kerala state. The information was gathered through intensive field surveys conducted during 2010 December to 2012 February. Around 40 plant species belonging to 32 genera and 19 families were recorded. Among them 70% species contribute to vegetables by their leaf and stem, 18 % by fruit, 8% by tubers, 2% by corm and 2% by calyx. Documented wild plants are also reported to be in existence even during adverse conditions like drought. The report of this study would help to preserve the indigenous knowledge on wild vegetables used by Muthuvans for their sustainable utilization and conservation.