Aqutic vegetables as functional foods: Composition and dietary significance: A review

Abstract

Aquatic vegetable crops constitute an important group of edible plants adapted to grow in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments such as ponds, wetlands, marshes, and waterlogged soils. These crops play a significant role in traditional food systems, particularly in Asia and tropical regions, where they contribute substantially to dietary diversity and nutritional security (FAO, 2019). Aquatic vegetables such as water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), watercress (Nasturtium officinale), lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis), taro (Colocasia esculenta), and duckweeds (Lemna spp.) are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds (Appenroth et al., 2017; Maluwa et al., 2025). Several studies have reported high levels of vitamin C, provitamin A carotenoids, calcium, iron, potassium, and polyphenols in these crops (Datta et al., 2019; Bangar et al., 2022). Duckweed has also been identified as a promising protein-rich aquatic vegetable for future food systems (Appenroth et al., 2017). Despite their high nutritional value, concerns related to heavy metal accumulation and anti-nutritional factors necessitate proper cultivation and processing practices (Rai et al., 2019).