The importance of traditional uses and nutraceutical aspects of some edible wild plants in human nutrition: the case of Umbria (central Italy)

Abstract

This study aimed to show how the importance of edible wild plants regards not only a question of uses linked to folk traditions but also their value in human nutrition. Data on the use of 50 species were collected through informed consent semi-structured interviews with local informants. They were eaten raw in salads (43%), boiled (35%), as ravioli filling (10%), fried without or with eggs (8%) and in vegetable soup (4%). Furthermore, the nutraceutical analysis centred on four of the commonly used wild edible plants demonstrates how these species contain many of the so-called minor nutrients, such as antioxidising vitamins and polyphenols, which were highest in Sanguisorba minor L.

Keywords::

• Antioxidant properties
• edible wild plants
• ethnobotanical analysis
• traditional use

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio of Perugia for making this research possible.