Nutritional and Phytochemical Composition of Mediterranean Wild Vegetables after Culinary Treatment

• Published in: Foods Vol. 9; no. 12; p. 1761
• Main Authors: García-Herrera, Patricia, Morales, Patricia, Cámara, Montaña, Fernández-Ruiz, Virginia, Tardío, Javier, Sánchez-Mata, María Cortes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI 28.11.2020; MDPI AG
• Subjects: folates; minerals; nutritional composition; thermal treatment; underutilized greens; vitamin C; folates; minerals; underutilized greens; thermal treatment; vitamin C; nutritional composition
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods9121761

Studies are scarce on the nutritional and phytochemical composition of wild edible Mediterranean plants after culinary processing. This work provides the nutritional composition after culinary treatment (including dietary fiber and mineral composition) and bioactive compounds (folates, vitamin C and organic acids) of wild L., (Moench) Garcke. leaves, and wild L., Jacq., L., L. young shoots. Shoots better preserved their nutrients than leaves, due to their different tissue structure. Fresh and cooked wild greens present high dietary fiber values, and remained at remarkable levels after boiling. Na, K, Mg and Zn were lost in about 50% due to culinary processing, while Ca, Cu, Fe and Mn were more stable. Boiled leaves of remained as a good Mn source. A portion of 100 g of most of the cooked analyzed species could cover a relevant percentage of the daily requirement of folates ( and providing more than 80%) and vitamin C ( and providing more than 35%).