Biochemical composition and antioxidant activity of three wild edible plants from Soro District of Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia

• Three wild edible plants have been analyzed for biochemical composition. • In comparison to cultivated vegetable crops, leaves and shoots and fruits edibles of these plants had comparatively greater protein and total carbohydrate contents. • Of all the wild edible plants examined, Amaranthus tortuosus had the highest levels of iron, calcium, ash, and protein. • Among the analyzed plants, the highest phenolic, flavonoid, and vitamin C in Landolphia buchananii fruit. • The Landolphia buchananii extract had a comparable IC50 value with ascorbic acid in scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical. • Wild edible plants may continue the novel food products, which may be promising candidates for cultivation to diversify food sources. In Ethiopia, wild edible plants (WEPs) are widely consumed. Despite the extensive usage of WEPs in Ethiopia, there have been few investigations on their nutritional composition.This study aimed to investigate the biochemical composition and antioxidants of the most commonly consumed three WEPs, Amaranthus tortuosus, Landolphia buchananii , and Oncoba spinosa in Soro District, Ethiopia . The proximate, mineral, vitamin C, and oxalate of them were determined using the method by AOAC. Anti-nutrients, total phenolic and flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity of the WEPs using standard spectroscopic methods. The highest crude protein content (38 g/100 g) was observed in Amaranthus tortuosus . Other nutrients on dry basis of crude fat, crude fiber, utilizable carbohydrate, gross energy, calcium, iron and zinc, vitamin C were resulted., including anti-nutrients of phytate, oxalate and tannin. O. spinosa has higher anti-nutrient content. The highest phenolic, flavonoid, and vitamin C in L. buchananii fruit. The L. buchananii extract had a comparable IC50 value with ascorbic acid in scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical. At 200 μg/ mL, the highest percentage of DPPH inhibition obtained for ascorbic acid. This study indicated, WEPs had more antioxidants than some common popular crops; it suggests that they can be incorporated to make more nutrient-dense and healthy-balanced diets.