Nutritional Evaluation of Iron Rich Lehyams Prepared By Using Underutilized Green Leafy Vegetables

Abstract

Lehyam is a semisolid jam like product prepared by using jaggery or sugar with added flavouring such as spices, cooked with the prescribed liquid till the correct consistency is obtained. In the present investigation lehyams were prepared by using underutilized green leafy vegetables namely Cauliflower leaves and Colocasia leaves. The prepared products were got organoleptically evaluated and found acceptable. Iron content was found as 43.87 and 38.49 mg and calcium content as 13.40 and 194.2 mg per 100g,whereas ascorbic acid was observed as 164.99 and 94.16mg and p-carotene content as 411.78 and 1267.82fig per lOOg in Cauliflower leaves and Colocasia leaves lehyams, respectively. Thus the developed iron rich products sufficient in essential nutrients would prove to be useful to combat iron deficiency especially in the growing children.