Abstract

The leaf cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), is a traditional local vegetable widely grown in rural and urban areas and consumed mostly by the poor in southern and eastern Africa. It is easy to propagate and is highly productive throughout the year. Three lines of leaf cabbage were evaluated for their nutritional value against a commonly grown exotic vegetable, Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla). Swiss chard was superior to the leaf cabbage lines in protein, total ash, vitamin A, sodium and iron content. On the other hand, the leaf cabbage lines had significantly higher quantities of fibre, carbohydrate, fat, calcium, vitamin C and energy than Swiss chard. The leaf cabbage types tested have many good nutritional attributes that justify their genetic improvement through breeding in aspects such as protein, vitamin A and iron content.

Key words: Brassica oleracea, nutritional assessment, Swiss chard, traditional vegetable.