Nutritional Profile of Chekurmanis (Sauropus androgynus), A Less Explored Green Leafy Vegetable

Abstract

Chekurmanis (Sauropus androgynus) belonging to Euphorbiaceae, is a perennial shrub, growing wildly in Southeast Asia. The leaves of chekurmanis are highly nutritious, being a very rich source of micronutrients and protein. In this study, chekurmanis leaves were evaluated for protein and micronutrient content at different stages of maturity. Maturity of the leaves did not alter the rich content of protein which remained around 22.0 g/100 g. Total dietary fibre content of the leaves ranged between 34 and 36% at different stages of maturity. Fully matured leaves contained a significantly higher amount of calcium, as compared to the tender leaves. The iron content of these leaves ranged from 3.89 to 4.50 mg /100 g, while the zinc content of the same was between 1.26 and 1.48 mg/100 g. The bioaccessibility of iron and zinc was significantly higher in the tender leaves. The tender and partially mature leaves of chekurmanis contained 74 and 69 mg/100 g of niacin, respectively. The β-carotene content of the leaves ranged from 7400 to 9250 μg/100 g, while that of vitamin E ranged between 17.6 to 15.6 mg/100 g. Chekurmanis leaves contain an alkaloid, the content of which was significantly higher in mature leaves (1740 mg/ 100 g) as compared to tender leaves (1439 mg/100 g). The alkaloid content of chekurmanis leaves was significantly reduced upon pressure cooking. This is the first report on the nutrient content of chekurmanis leaves at different stages of maturity, as also on the bioaccessibility of minerals.