Indigenous Leafy Vegetables: A Potential Source of [beta]-Carotene and Ascorbic Acid

Leafy vegetables provide essential minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. A survey was conducted in eastern India to document plant species grown for leafy vegetables or collected from field margins or as weeds in other crops that are used as leafy vegetables. Twenty-two plant species belonging to 14...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of vegetable science 2012-10, Vol.18 (4), p.370
Main Authors: Akhtar, Shirin, Karak, Chandan, Biswas, Priyanka, Chattopadhyay, Arup, Hazra, Pranab
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Flowers & plants
Vegetables
Vitamin A
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Leafy vegetables provide essential minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. A survey was conducted in eastern India to document plant species grown for leafy vegetables or collected from field margins or as weeds in other crops that are used as leafy vegetables. Twenty-two plant species belonging to 14 families were recorded as being used as leafy vegetables. Most had high [beta]-carotene and ascorbic acid contents and could be used to alleviate problems of malnutrition and undernutrition. The leaf amaranth (Amaranthus blitum L.) and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal) had very high [beta]-carotene and ascorbic acid contents. Further research on their nutritional potential is needed for their conservation. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1931-5260
1931-5279
DOI:10.1080/19315260.2011.649163