REVIEWING THE NUTRITIONAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE IN COMMON VEGETABLES IN NIGERIA-JOURNAL PAPER

Abstract

Green leafy vegetables (GLVs) are essential
for a healthy diet. GLV use has long been
ingrained in African households' cultural
history, and it is a vital source of important
micronutrients in sub-Saharan African
nations. GLVs are used as a main course or
a side dish in Nigeria and are either stewed
or eaten raw. These GLVs are highly
valuable both medicinally and nutritionally.
It is theorized that educating consumers on
the nutritional value, medical properties,
and botanical description could increase
consumption; however, a large portion of
the body of knowledge now in existence is
unavailable and inadequately documented.
By gathering data on some of the foods
consumed in Delta State, Nigeria, such as
African jointfir (Gnetum africanum, locally
known as Ukazi), jute mallow (Corchorus
olitorius, locally known as Malafiya), and
cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz), giant
yellow mulberry (Myrianthus arboreus),
okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), clove
(Syzygium aromaticum), and bush buck
(Gongronema latifolium, locally known as
Utazi) leaves are some of the foods covered
in this paper.