Nutritional Freshwater Life
44
Fats and Fatty Acids of Root (per 120 g)
Total fat
84 mg
Saturated fat
25 mg
Monounsaturated fat
17 mg
Polyunsaturated fat
17 mg
Omega-3 fatty acids
4.8 mg
Omega-6 fatty acids
12 mg
Vitamins of Root (per 120 g)
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
33 mg
12 µg
Vitamin K
0.12 µg
Thiamin
152 µg
Riboflavin
12 µg
Niacin
360 µg
Vitamin B6
262 µg
Folate
9.6 µg
Pantothenic acid
362 µg
Choline
30.5 mg
Source: Data from Nutrition Facts (2014).
Alternanthera sessilis (L.) (R.Br. ex DC)
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Common name: Sessile joyweed, dwarf
copperleaf.
Distribution: Tropical regions of the
world, especially tropical America,
Africa, and Asia.
Habitat: Ditches, swamps, gardens, rice
fields.
Description: It is a perennial herb
growing annually up to 1 m tall, erect,
ascending or creeping, often widely
branched, with strong taproot. Leaves
obovate to broadly elliptic, occasionally
linear-lanceolate, 1–15 cm long, 0.3–3 cm
wide, glabrous to sparsely villous, petioles 1–5 mm long. Flowers are in sessile
spikes, and bract and bracteoles are
shiny white, 0.7–1.5 mm long, glabrous.
Sepals are equal, 2.5–3 mm long. Its
leaves and young shoots are eaten as
a vegetable, particularly in tropical
Africa, or cooked in soup.
44
Fats and Fatty Acids of Root (per 120 g)
Total fat
84 mg
Saturated fat
25 mg
Monounsaturated fat
17 mg
Polyunsaturated fat
17 mg
Omega-3 fatty acids
4.8 mg
Omega-6 fatty acids
12 mg
Vitamins of Root (per 120 g)
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
33 mg
12 µg
Vitamin K
0.12 µg
Thiamin
152 µg
Riboflavin
12 µg
Niacin
360 µg
Vitamin B6
262 µg
Folate
9.6 µg
Pantothenic acid
362 µg
Choline
30.5 mg
Source: Data from Nutrition Facts (2014).
Alternanthera sessilis (L.) (R.Br. ex DC)
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Common name: Sessile joyweed, dwarf
copperleaf.
Distribution: Tropical regions of the
world, especially tropical America,
Africa, and Asia.
Habitat: Ditches, swamps, gardens, rice
fields.
Description: It is a perennial herb
growing annually up to 1 m tall, erect,
ascending or creeping, often widely
branched, with strong taproot. Leaves
obovate to broadly elliptic, occasionally
linear-lanceolate, 1–15 cm long, 0.3–3 cm
wide, glabrous to sparsely villous, petioles 1–5 mm long. Flowers are in sessile
spikes, and bract and bracteoles are
shiny white, 0.7–1.5 mm long, glabrous.
Sepals are equal, 2.5–3 mm long. Its
leaves and young shoots are eaten as
a vegetable, particularly in tropical
Africa, or cooked in soup.