PROXIMATE AND MINERAL ANALYSIS OF A FEW EDIBLE FLOWERS USED IN COIMBATORE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU

Abstract

Vegetables are any part of the plant such as root, tuber, bulb, stem, leaf, flower and seed. The local inhabitants of Coimbatore District mainly depend on wild indigenous vegetables around their locality for food. This paper deals about the proximate and mineral analysis of eight edible flowers used by the local people of Coimbatore District. Carbohydrate and crude fibre were maximum in the flowers of Cucurbita maxima (29.37±0.02% per g and 4.63±0.21% per g respectively), protein and moisture content were maximum in Cassia auriculata (22.95±0.01% per g and 91.83±0.54% per g respectively), lipid was maximum in Benincasa hispida (3.57±0.01% per g) and ash content was maximum in Sesbania grandiflora (1.76±0.04% per g). The contents of calcium was high in B. hispida (1.92±0.06 mg/ g), magnesium and potassium was high in C. maxima (0.98±0. mg/g and 0. 39±0.67 mg/g respectively).