EVALUATION OF PROXIMATE COMPOSITIONS OF INDIGENOUS AND UNDERUTILIZED GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES OF NORTH GUJARAT, INDIA

Human needs wide range of nutrients for growth, development and to lead an active and healthy life. Green leafy vegetables are rich sources of carotenoids (Vitamin 'A') as well as appreciable amounts of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper. In view of less utilization of some of tradition leafy vegetables by people of Banaskantha district and paucity of scientific information on nutritive value, it is proposed to assess nutritive value of less familiar, six underutilised green leafy vegetables viz., dodi, poi, kanjaro, khatedo, radish and sarsiya for proximate composition. Healthy, six green leaves were randomly collected in fresh conditions from farmer’s fields of surrounding villages and subjected to analysis of different nutrients. At the end of the study it was found that Dodi (Leptadenia reticulate) and kanjaro (Digera arvensis) have high percentage of crude protein, ash and crude fibre as compared to other underutilized vegetables and hence can be used routinely as a part of diet to fulfil the nutrient requirement of  peoples of Banaskantha region.