Ethnobotanical Importance and Nutritional Potential of Wild Leafy Vegetables of Meghalaya State in India

The nutritional potential of five wild edible leaves of the plant e.g. Chenopodium album, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Homalomena aromatica, Zanthoxylum rhetsa and Cajanus indicus collected from Meghalaya state in India were evaluated by determining proximate and phytochemical composition. These plants are used by the local people of Meghalaya state in India as their food. The present study revealed that for different plant species, the crude fat content ranged between 0.69±0.02-2.30±0.02%. The crude protein content was determined high in the leaves of Cajanus indicus (15.77±0.03 %) and in Zanthoxylum rhetsa (13.75±0.05%) while the available carbohydrate content was the highest in the leaves of Alternanthera philoxeroides (73.67±0.30 %). The nutritive value ranged from 77.41±0.53-344.52±0.33 kcal/100g in the various wild edible plants. Among the various macronutrients estimated in the plant samples of different wild edible plants potassium was present in the highest quantity (10.42±0.1045.86±0.22mg /g) followed by calcium (5.93±0.15 -26.47±0.18 mg/g) and sodium (0.32±0.01-8.25±0.07 mg /g). Micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese and magnesium were also analyzed in the different plant specimens. The result indicates that the nutritional values and mineral contents of these leafy vegetables under investigation were richer than that of the commercial vegetables and could be used for nutritional purpose. The present study also gives an account of ethnobotanical importance of the wild plants under investigation.