A New Approach for Identifying Potentially Effective Indigenous Plants Consumed by Chenchu Tribes and Their Nutritional Composition-India

Traditional knowledge of plants and their properties always has been transmitted from generation to generation through the natural path of everyday life. Food habits of the indigenous population across the globe are very abnormal when compared to that of civilized people. The forest related tribal scientific studies of edible wild plants are extremely constructive to know the nutritional values of the forest indigenous foods and help to eliminate the malnutrition problems in vulnerable group. The existing study was undertaken with an intention and documented 34 exceptional plant species belonging to 15 families with their medicinal values, taxonomical names and nutritional profile. Among the 34 indigenous plant foods, the frequently available and consumed plant foods by particularly vulnerable tribal group Chenchu tribes were selected for nutritional investigation including proximate composition, mineral and vitamin analysis. Results show that the nutritional values of the edible indigenous plant foods are prominent compared to frequently consumed foods available in market. The present study observed that the conventional and nutritional information on wild plant foods is on sharp decline. Unless efforts are made to educate the present generations about the importance of these foods, which may be lost in near future. These studies could contribute significantly to Government policies to improve food security and helps to progress health and nutritional status in marginally deprived tribal communities in India, and in the enhancement of wild vegetable status, whose potential as sources of nutrition is currently undervalued.