An overview of nutritional and anti nutritional factors in green leafy vegetables

Abstract

Vegetables play important role in food and nutritional security. Particularly, green leafy vegetables are considered as exceptional source for vitamins, minerals and phenolic compounds. Mineral nutrients like iron and calcium are high in leafy vegetables than staple food grains. Also, leafy vegetables are the only natural sources of folic acid, which are considerably high in leaves of Moringa oleifera plants as compared to other leafy and non-leafy vegetables. This paper reviewed nutritional and anti nutritional factors in some important common green leafy vegetables. The type and composition of nutritional and anti nutritional factors vary among genera and species of different edible leafy vegetables plants. Anti nutritional factors are chemical compounds in plant tissues, which deter the absorption of nutrients in humans. Their effects can be direct or indirect and ranges from minor reaction to death. Major anti nutritional factors such as nitrates, phytates, tannins, oxalates and cyanogenic glycosides have been implicated in various health-related issues. Different processing methods such as cooking and blanching can reduce the contents of anti-nutritional factors. This paper also discussed in brief the various analytical methods for the determination of the various nutritional and anti-nutritional factors in some green leafy vegetables.

Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Yams (Dioscorea spp.) for Improving Nutritional Security and Health Benefits

“…Protein helps in the structural and functional activities of cell as well as to regulate the metabolic activities in all living organisms. Proteinaceous diet is essential in the daily diets of human beings (Natesh et al, 2017). Sufficient protein amount in the diet leads to increase the calorific value of the food and it is a reflection of a nutritionally satisfactory diet (Polycarp et al, 2012).…”

“…Tannins are responsible for the astringent taste of foods and drinks. It forms complexes with dietary protein of the food and results in precipitation of protein and impair its availability (Natesh et al, 2017). Higher concentration of tannin affects the protein quality of the food and interferes with iron absorption (Padhan et al, 2020).…”

White, blue and red LED lighting on growth, morphology and accumulation of flavonoid compounds in leafy greens

“…Leafy greens are considered an exceptional source of various bioactive compounds (Natesh et al, 2017) including health-promoting plant secondary metabolites, especially polyphenols, vitamins and essential oils. The yield and content of health-promoting compounds depend on the geographic location of a plantation as well as seasonal weather conditions.…”

Evaluation of the Bioactive Compounds in Leaves and Stem-Bark of Piptadeniastrum Africanum (Hook.F.) Brenan (Family Fabaceae)

“…Phytate is a phosphorylated form of Inositol and its major storage of phosphorus in all leafy vegetables (Harland and Oberleas, 1987;Horner, et al, 2005;Habtamu and Negussie, 2018). Phytic acid is found in plant tissues as salts of cations such as potassium, magnesium and calcium (Natesh et al, 2017) and has both beneficial and detrimental effects on human. Therefore, the presence of phytate in plants used for medicinal purpose is worth considering as a result of the well-known antinutritional activities of phytic acid.…”