IDENTIFICATION AND NUTRITIONAL IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS GREEN LEAF VEGETABLES IN KENYA

J.A. Chweya
Some of the species so far identified include Amaranthus hybridus. Crotalaria brevidens. Solanumnigrum, Gynandrosis gynabdra and Erucastrum arabicum. These plants normally grow wild in most parts of Kenya. the leaves being used as vegetables. The carotene content of the leaves may exceed 7 000 ug per 100g fresh weight. Leaves from S.nigrum and G.gynanndra may have ascorbic acid contents as high as 144 and 131 mg/100g respectively. The iron content in S. nigrum, G. gynandra and A. hybridus leaves is about 10mg/100g, and the calcium contents in the leaves of the three species are about 291, 251 and 480 mg/100g respectively. Protein contents in the leaves of the identified plants range from about 28% to 36%.
Chweya, J.A. (1985). IDENTIFICATION AND NUTRITIONAL IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS GREEN LEAF VEGETABLES IN KENYA. Acta Hortic. 153, 99-108
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1985.153.13
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1985.153.13

Acta Horticulturae