Dietary potential of some forgotten wild leafy vegetables from Morocco

Morocco's vascular flora is one of the richest in the Mediterranean region. Women, particularly in rural areas, know how to use the wild edible plants available in their environment to make many popular traditional dishes. To our knowledge, there are no studies on the nutritional composition of these plants in Morocco. The present aim of this study is to contribute filling this gap by the determination of the nutrient composition (moisture, proteins, fats, total carbohydrates and ashes) and the energy value of 17 wild edible plants traditionally used as vegetables in the country. Moisture, total protein and Ash contents were analyzed using AOAC official methods. Fats content was determinate by the Mojonnier method and total carbohydrates were calculated by difference. The finding showed that most wild plants analyzed are low fat food with protein levels in the range or higher than several common cultivated vegetables. The highest total carbohydrates values were found in four Apiaceae species. Mercurialis annua and Urtica dioica stand out respectively for their fat and ash high levels. The reported data suggest that the wild leafy vegetables studied can be considered as good resources, with interesting nutritive potential, especially in the case of low-calorie human diets. (C) All Rights Reserved