Suitability of wild underexploited vegetables from the Argentine Chaco as a food resource.

The nutritional value of wild underexploited vegetable samples collected in the Argentine Chaco was investigated. Leaves from Hipochaeris sp.-, Corono pus didimus and Portulaca olearacea: fruits from Zyziphus sativa, Brumelia obtusifolia and Eugenia uniflora: and roots of Canna coccinea were included in this work; several separate samples being taken at least during two con secutive harvesting seasons Values for moisture, protein, total lipids, cru de fiber, ash, reducing and total sugars, starch, total pectins and energy are given. Mineral micronutrient contents are reported for calcium, potassi um, magnesium, iron and phosphorus, as well as vitamin values (ascorbic aci d and beta-carotene). Higher concentrations of macronutrients were found in the leafy vegetables (32-50 Kcal / 100 g) than in commercially exploited cultivars(14-30 Kcal / 100 g), as shown by an increased energy value, the protein content of Portu laca olearacea (3.74 g/ 100 g) being highly remarkable. Unusually high micr onutrient figures were also determined in Coronopus didimus. with 172.3; 3. 98, and 46.7 mg / 100 g, for calcium, iron and magnesium, respectively. In general, fruits also showed higher macronutrient contents, with the exce ption of proteins, with less but constant values(1.58 to 1.74 g / 100 g), a lthough contributing more energy than commercial cultivars (70 to 147 Kcal/ 100 g). Equally important proved to be the provitamin A content in Eugenia uniflora (11.98 mg/100 g). Roots of Canna coccinea revealed the lowest energy value (34 Kcal/ 100 g) b ut surprisingly, the highest content of phosphorus of all the species under study.