Wild leafy vegetables consumed in Buhera District of Zimbabwe and their phenolic compounds content

Ecol Food Nutr. 2013;52(2):178-89. doi: 10.1080/03670244.2012.706094.

Abstract

A questionnaire was used to gather information on the wild leafy vegetables consumed. The phenolic concentrations were determined by the vanillin, butanol, and tannin binding assays. Seventy-nine traditional vegetables were mentioned by the respondents and 20 of these were classified according to their species. The contents of flavonoids varied from 1.2 mg/g for Cleome gynandra to 8.0 mg/g for Bidens pilosa. The levels of proanthocyanidins ranged from 1.9 mg/g for lettuce to 11.2 mg/g for Bidens pilosa. The tannin contents of the vegetables ranged from 5.7 mg/g for Cleome gynandra to 8.3 mg/g for Bidens pilosa. The present study showed that these vegetables are valuable sources of phenolic compounds as compared to some exotic species.

MeSH terms

  • Bidens / chemistry*
  • Cleome / chemistry*
  • Diet*
  • Flavonoids / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Phenols / analysis*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Proanthocyanidins / analysis
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tannins / analysis*
  • Vegetables / chemistry*
  • Zimbabwe

Substances

  • Flavonoids
  • Phenols
  • Proanthocyanidins
  • Tannins