Proximate composition and nutritional attributes of some wild edible leafy plants from Lebanon

Lebanon is gifted with a richness of wild edible plants (WEPs) that are traditionally consumed by rural communities. Today, there is an increasing interest in these plants being an essential component of healthy Mediterranean diet in modern society. While most of food production in the country relies mainly on only a few domesticated species, the role of many WEPs remain insufficiently assessed. This study investigates the proximate composition and nutritional attributes of some commonly consumed leafy WEPs including Amaranthus graecizans, Anchusa hybrida, Centaurea calcitrapa, Chenopodium murale, Crithmum maritimum, Inula crithmoides and Scorzonera cana. Carbohydrates, proteins, fat, minerals (Ca, K, Fe, Mg) and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) were determined in the air-dried leaves and shoots of the tested plants using standard food and mineral analysis. Findings revealed the presence of considerable levels of proteins with A. graecizans, S. cana, A. hybrida and C. calcitrapa containing 25.3, 24.1, 22.6 and 21.4% dry weight, respectively. Appreciable levels of Fe were also found in C. calcitrapa (400 mg kg(-1) dry weight) and A. graecizans (300 mg kg(-1) dry weight). Considering the expected loss caused by drying S. cana, C. calcitrapa and A. hybrida may be indicated to contain good amounts of vit. C (Ascorbic acid) (13, 10.9 and 9.1% dry weight, respectively). It can be postulated that these plants have good nutritional qualities and thus, can substantially contribute to diversified diet and health benefits of Lebanese communities. Future investigations on fresh plant material are recommended to allow better comparability to nutrient standards and household measure.