African leafy vegetables are an affordable, traditional food, easy to grow and often advised to improve dietary diversity. However, nutrient content can differ based on species and plant maturity. This study determined the nutrient content (N = 8; mg/100 g fresh, raw leaves) of a species of Brassica, known colloquially as “Venda kale” (VK), harvested at 5, 7, and 9 weeks after planting in peat moss and coir fiber, as a potential source to address micronutrient deficiencies. A significant (p 14% of the dietary reference intakes (DRI; males and females) for Ca and Mn. VK could be advised as an alternative to SC in addressing specific micronutrient deficiencies, but the overall mineral content is lower than that of baby spinach.
Pretorius et al. (Tue,) studied this question.