Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, D: Agriculture and Veterinary, Volume 22 Issue 1

where the value found tripled that of the organic growth conditions.The fat content is very similar to that reportedfor the wild species P. oleracea Portuguese (0.39%) by Pinela et al. (2017).In general, all the values were below 1.0%, confirming that the plants studied are a low-fat source, which could be considered to design healthy diets(Kaur et al ., 2014; Marrelli et al ., 2020). The crude fiber varied between 2.39-5.50%, without presenting differences between cultivation systems for any of the species. The fiber content in this study can be considered high since it exceeds the range reported by Kim et al. (2016) for iceberg, romaine, green and purple leaf lettuce from 0.9 to 2.1 g 100 g -1 in fresh weight or reported by Tardío et al. (2016) for P. oleracea Mediterranean (1.20%). These results indicate that the aerial parts of both species are a good source of crude fiber whose daily intake is beneficial for health. Carbohydrate concentration varied in the range 4.72-8.41% ( P. oleracea ) and 6.80-17.55% ( P. ruderale ). The carbohydrate content in P. oleracea exceeded that reported by Tardío et al. (2016) for the same species with 1.98%. The estimated caloric values of the plants studied in two growth conditions fluctuated between 28.0-78.65%, where P. ruderale had the highest caloric value in cultivated conditions (Table 1). However, both species are oriented as low-calorie foods and 100 g of their consumption contributes only about 4% considering the referenced energy value (2000 kcal/day for adults) (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011). In this way, the studied species are appropriate food for low-calorie diets. b) Minerals Human nutritional requirements require at least 23 elements that are differentiated into macrominerals (they require higher daily amounts) and microminerals (their required daily amounts are very small) (Quintaes y Díez-García, 2015).The mineral composition of the two undervalued species is presented in Table 1.The calcium (Ca) range is between 110.59 mg·100 g -1 ( P. oleracea) and 687.49 mg·100 g -1 ( P. ruderale), both under cultivated conditions. Species P. ruderale stood out as a source of calcium since 100 g fresh edible portion represents a contribution of more than 55% of daily requirements for adults of this element when estimating the reference dietary intake of Ca in 1200 mg per day(WHO, 2004).Vegetables rich in calcium are kale, broccoli, and watercress, which provide between 100 and 150 mg per 100 g (Cormick and Belizán, 2019), although the impact that food has on total calcium intake depends on food consumption patterns of the population. Magnesium (Mg) was between 91.68 mg 100 g -1 ( P. oleracea ) and 185.54 mg 100 g -1 ( P. ruderale), both cultivated, and between 131.15 mg 100 g -1 and 165.33 mg 100 g -1 , respectively, in their wild counterparts. The amount of magnesium depends more on the growth conditions in P. oleracea than in P. ruderale with a significant difference (p=0.0000).In general, magnesium is a critical element in many cellular functions, being a cofactor in more than 300 enzymes in the body and has functions that affect nerve conduction (Nielsen, 2018).Studies indicate that Mg intake below 237 mg/day is associated with poor bone health(Nielsen et al ., 2011). The mean value of potassium (K) ranged between 515.28 and 776.67 mg·100 g -1 in the wild species. The functions of this element in plants are related to osmotic regulation and electroneutrality of cells (Renna et al ., 2015).The superiority of K under wild conditions is possibly related to its availability in more rustic areas. The phosphorus concentration ranged from 33.67 to 84.57 mg·100 g-1 with significant differences between the culture systems in both species, surpassing the cultivated ones vs. the wild ones. In the case of wild conditions its low content may be related to deficient levels of this element in the soil and, in the case of cultivation conditions, it may be influenced by agricultural practices and the contributions made in the form of organic matter. In relation to sodium, the significant difference (p=0.0000) was only observed in P. oleracea, doubling its content in wild vs. cultivated conditions. In general, for humans, sodium plays a vital role in regulating fluid balance and blood pressure (Renna et al ., 2015).The WHO (2006) recommends its intake below 2 g per day to prevent cardiovascular diseases attributed to high blood pressure. The result of the present study showed that all the species analyzed can be considered as contributors of low daily sodium intake. Among the microminerals, the one with the highest concentration was iron (Fe) for both species under wild conditions, followed by zinc (Zn).In the human body, Fe acts as an oxygen carrier and its deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder. Considering that the requirement of its daily intake is 8 and 10 mg (WHO, 2004), the species in this study could provide around 18% of the requirement..Zn is also an essential component for humans since it participates in the synthesis and degradation of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Its central role in the immune system is supported by several studies (WHO, 2004).If the recommended daily amount of Zn (10 mg/day, Odhav et al., 2007) is considered, the study plants can provide between 4.5-10% of what is recommended. The microelement with the lowest concentration was copper (Cu) in wild conditions for both plants. On the contrary, a high content of Cu was found in both species collected under cultivated conditions, exceeding by more than 2.5 times the content of this element in their wild counterparts. This element is vital for certain enzymes and proteins (Renna et al ., 2015), as 1 Year 2022 37 © 2022 Global Journals Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Volume XXII Issue ersion I VI ( D ) Influence of Cultivation Conditions on the Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Components of Two Undervalued Edible Plants ( Porophyllum Ruderale and Portulaca Oleracea )