Composition, variation of nutritional contents in leaves, seed protein, fat and fatty acid profile ofchenopodium species

The foliage of Chenopodium belonging to 10 species were analysed for selected nutritional and antinutritional components. The overall range of moisture was 757‐910 g kg −1 , carotenoid 78‐190 mg kg −1 , vitamin C 0.5‐2.4 g kg −1 , protein 26‐64 g kg −1 , nitrate 2.6‐5.0 g kg −1 and oxalate 9‐39 g kg −1 (fresh wt). Variation of all the six parameters with respect to leaf position from the apex showed the highest amount of carotenoid at 7‐8, vitamin C at 9‐10, protein at 5‐6 and nitrate in the youngest leaves, followed by a continuous decrease with age (increasing position). However, oxalate contents always tended to increase with leaf position (age). The protein, fat and fatty acid composition in seeds of eight species were also analysed. Protein varied from 106 to 142 g kg −1 and fat from 30 to 62 g kg −1 ; palmitic, oleic and linoleic were the major fatty acids in the oils.