Nutritional status of exotic and indigenous vegetables

Abstract

Indigenous vegetables are available at low cost but there is little information about their nutritional composition. The study was conducted to compare the nutritional status of exotic and indigenous vegetables. Most indigenous vegetables contained more minerals than exotic vegetables. Potassium was the most abundant macro-element (135–746 mg/100 g) followed by phosphorus (16–98 mg/100 g). The most calcium was in leaves of Colocasia esculenta (L) (238 mg/100 g). The most magnesium (91 mg/100 g) and Vitamin-C (76 mg/100 g) was in Nymphaea nouchali (Burman) bulb, and Brassica oleracea (L), respectively. Regular consumption of indigenous vegetables may meet nutritional requirements in the human diet.