Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Three Species.

Species of unconventional food plants of the genus are widely consumed in rural populations living in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This study investigated the nutritional composition of , , and species. The centesimal composition was investigated according to the norms of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, the occurrence and concentration of carotenoids and vitamins through High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, and minerals with the aid of atomic emission spectrometry in inductively coupled plasma. There was no significant difference between the water content found in the three species. However, showed higher concentrations of lipids (1.32 g/100 g), carbohydrates (0.34 g/100 g), total carotenoids (5.58 mg/100 g), and Ca (96.25 mg/100 g), while had the highest concentration of vitamins E (72.98 g/100 g) and K (604.85 mg/100 g). showed higher concentrations of Fe (23.74 mg/100 g). Statistically, fibers and ash presented the same proportions in and , as well as proteins in and species. The availabilities of these vegetables together with their high nutritional value are important factors that contribute to ensuring food security for families that have these species in their diet.