The suitability of wild vegetables for alleviating human dietary deficiencies

Micronutrient deficiency is a universal problem, which presently affects over two billion people worldwide, resulting in poor health, low worker productivity, high rates of mortality and morbidity. Deficiency in micronutrients has led to increased rates of chronic diseases and permanent impairment of cognitive abilities in infants born to micronutrient deficient mothers. Wild vegetables have been the mainstay of human diets for centuries, providing millions of consumers with important micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals needed to maintain health and promote immunity against infections. Compared to conventional cultivated species, wild vegetables are hardy, require less care, and are a rich source of micronutrients. Hence, they could make an important contribution to combating micronutrient malnutrition as well as providing food security. Unfortunately, wild vegetables are currently underutilized, and have been neglected by researchers and policy makers. Their promotion and integration into human diets could assist in their protracted use and consequent conservation. However, the chemical, nutritional and toxicological properties of especially local wild vegetables, the bioavailability of micronutrients present in these, and their modification by various processing techniques still need to be properly established and documented before their use as an alternative dietary source can be advocated. Such information would be of fundamental importance in addressing dietary deficiencies in impoverished African rural communities.