Evaluation of the nutritional value of selected leafy vegetables grown in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is blessed with a wide variety of leafy vegetables. However, the information on their nutritional value is scanty. In the present study, ten leafy vegetables commonly grown in Sri Lanka, namely Centella asiatica (Gotukola), Alternanthera sessilis (Weda Mukunuwenna), Alternanther asessilis (Common Mukunuwenna), Sesbania grandiflora (Kathurumurunga), Amaranthus viridis (Red thampala), Amaranthus viridis (Green Thampala), Dregea volubilis (Aguna kola), Coccinia grandis (Kowakka), Costus speciosus (Thebu kola) and Trianthema portulacastrum (Sarana) were evaluated for their nutritional composition. Samples of each vegetable species were collected from different geographical locations of the country representing all agro-climatic zones. Healthy, undamaged plant parts were collected, cleaned and air dried at 45 °C, pooled in similar quantities and stored at 4 °C for further analysis. The proximate and mineral composition of each sample were determined and presented on fresh weight basis. Moisture, ash, crude fat, crude protein and total carbohydrate contents were determined using AOAC standard methods. The moisture content ranged between 76.99 and 89.55% while the crude protein content ranged between 1.73 and 7.17%. The corresponding ranges for ash, total carbohydrates and crude fat were 1.28 – 3.86%, 4.41 – 10.76% and 0.29 – 1.81%, respectively. Comparatively, A. viridis was found to be the richest (P<0.05) source of essential mineral elements.