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Dietary Supplement |
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Leaves of Corchorus are consumed as leafy vegetables in various parts of the world especially in Asia, the Middle East, and part of Africa. Besides adding a distinct flavor to food, jute leaves also have nutritional value, and dried leaves act as thickeners in soup, stews, and sauces. It is a popular vegetable in West Africa and nowadays in Japan, China, Caribbean Island, and some European countries also. The Yoruba of Nigeria calls it “ewedu” while the Songhay of Mani calls it “fakohoy”. It is made into a common mucilaginous (somewhat “slimy”) soup sauce in some West African culinary traditions and Arabian countries where it is called “Molukhiya”. In India the leaves, “Pat pata” and tender shoots are eaten as dietary supplement to rice from ancient time. |
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The leaves are rich in protein, β-carotene, iron, calcium, vitamin B, and vitamin C. The plant has an antioxidant activity with a significant α-tocopherol equivalent vitamin E. Leaves also contain oxydase and chlorogenic acid. The folic acid, content is substantially higher than that of other folacin-rich vegetables, ca. 800 μg per 100 g (ca. 75% moisture) or ca. 3,200 μg per 100 g on a zero moisture basis. |
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Nutrient Content per 100 g of Green Leaves
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Nutrients |
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Composition |
Unit |
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Energy |
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43 - 58 |
kcal |
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Water |
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80.04 - 84.01
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g |
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Protein |
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4.5 - 5.6
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g |
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Carbohydrate |
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7.6 - 12.04 |
g |
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Fat |
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1.0 - 1.3 |
g |
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Calcium |
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266 - 366 |
mg |
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Iron |
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7.2 - 7.7 |
mg |
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Potassium |
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440 - 444 |
mg |
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β-carotene (vitamine A) |
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6410 - 7850 |
μg |
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Thiamine (Vitamine B) |
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130 - 150 |
μg |
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Riboflavin (Vitamine B) |
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260 - 530 |
μg |
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Niacin (Vitamine B) |
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1100 - 1200 |
μg |
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Ascorbic acid (Vitamine C) |
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53 - 80 |
μg |
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Therapeutic Uses |
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Corchorus species containing important bioactive compounds such as cardiac glycosides, stropanthidin, β-sitosterol, terpenoid-corosin, flavones glycoside, urasolic acid, vitamin C, β-carotene, mucilage, and others are potential candidates for developing plant-based drugs. |