Indian Science Cruiser

Sagarika Chakraborty ¹, Santa Datta ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Home Science, University of Calcutta, 20B, Judges Court Road, Kolkata 700027, IN

Abstract

Among the poor people, dietary inadequacy of most nutrients is very common. The inclusion of the small amount of dried greens in the daily diet improves its nutritive value. An extended review of the literature revealed that cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) is widely consumed in India, but its nutritious leaves are usually thrown away by the people due to the ignorance. These low-cost, easily available, seasonal greens are rich in protein and micronutrients which can be utilized as a “natural fortificant” to enrich the common recipes. Nowadays dry cauliflower leaf powder (CLP) is used to prepare many value-added products, like wheat noodles, biscuits, cookies, chocolates, various types of snacks, chapatti, pancake, functional beverage, etc., which are well-accepted. Human studies showed that regular intake of CLP-enriched recipes improved the nutritional status of the participants and helps to prevent and treat protein-energy malnutrition, anaemia, vitamin-A deficiency disorders. The nutritional and curative potentials of less utilized cauliflower leaf should be properly utilized to prepare low-cost, nutrientdense supplementary foods which will be helpful in improving the nutritional status of common people, reducing the vegetable waste generation and widen the food basket.

Keywords

Cauliflower Greens, Cauliflower Leaf Powder (CLP), Anaemia, Vitamin-A Deficiency Disorders, Value-Added Products.

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Arpita Sahoo ¹, Arijit Garai ¹, Santa Datta ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Home Science, Food and Nutrition Division, University of Calcutta, Kolkata-700027, IN
2 Department of Home Science, Food and Nutrition Division, University of Calcutta, Kolkata- 700027, IN

Abstract

Bottle gourd leaves are widely used as animal feed in India. Consumption among the human beings, especially in low income group people are also found. But many of the leafy vegetables contain oxalate which may have hindering effect on the absorption of some important minerals like Calcium, Iron etc in human body. In this present study total oxalate content of bottle gourd leaves (Lagenaria siceraria) has been estimated by permanganate titration method. The result shows that the oxalate content of bottle gourd leaves (Lagenaria siceraria) is 49.086mg/100gm. The oxalate contents of some of the common leafy vegetable are also compared to the bottle gourd leaves (Lagenaria siceraria). From this study it may be concluded that oxalate content of bottle gourd leaves is much lower than that of other leafy vegetables.

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