Nutritional aspects of non-conventional edible plants from Brazil: Caruru (Amaranthus spinosus L) and trapoeraba (Commelina benghalensis)

Caruru (Amaranthus spinosus L) and trapoeraba (Commelina benghalensis) are NCEPs introduced into Brazil and are widely used by certain communities. Given the lack of information on carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals present in A. spinosus and C. benghalensis grown in Brazil, this study aimed to determine the proximate composition and the micronutrient profile of these two NCEPs obtained from family farming in the Middle Doce River (Me ' dio Rio Doce) region in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The proximate composition was evaluated using AOAC methods, vitamin E by HPLC with fluorescence detection, vitamin C and carotenoids by HPLC-DAD, and minerals by atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. In summary, the leaves of A. spinosus exhibited a high content of dietary fiber (10.20 g.100 g-1), potassium (708.8 mg.100 g-1), iron (4.0 mg.100 g-1) and 0-carotene (6.94 mg.100 g-1), while the leaves of C. benghalensis were sources of potassium (1399.31 mg.100 g-1), iron (5.7 mg.100 g-1), calcium (163 mg.100 g-1), zinc (1.3 mg.100 g-1), ascorbic acid (23.61 mg.100 g-1), and 0-carotene (31.33 mg.100 g-1). It was therefore concluded that C. benghalensis and A. spinosus, especially, presented excellent potential as important nutritional sources for human consumption, highlighting the gap existing between the available technical and scientific material, thus making them an important and necessary axis of research.

Automated summary

This study aimed to determine the composition and micronutrient profile of Caruru and trapoeraba grown in Brazil. The leaves of Caruru contained high dietary fiber, potassium, iron, and β-carotene, while the leaves of trapoeraba were rich in potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, ascorbic acid, and β-carotene.