Morogo is good for you!

Posted by admin in Science in Society

Green leafy vegetables are found as part of staples just about all over Africa. In southern Africa these are collectively called morogo. 

Retha van der Walt and colleagues, from North-West University, South Africa sampled three wild morogo types from different parts of South Africa to look at their mineral and nutrient content. Although morogo-type plants are widely available across the region, many people reject them in favour of commercially grown and relatively expensive plants such as Swiss chard and other types of spinach. These local scientists are keen to provide evidence that morogo are nutritious in order to help local people to use their own resources to a greater extent, leading to less reliance on costly alternatives.

They found that wild morogo is a good source of minerals and nutrients and could contribute substantially to a diet that was otherwise lacking in trace elements. Wild morogo is easily available and grows in poor soils with little water.

South African Journal of Science 2009; 105: 444-448