Nourishing duckweed vegetables from the garden pond perfect for human nutrition?

Duckweed is suitable as a food: duckweed as a source of protein
"Duckweed" could become a protein source of the future. Scientists have shown that the small, green duckweed is suitable for human consumption. In addition to a lot of protein, the plants also contain a lot of valuable omega-3 fatty acids.

Protein source of the future
Whether for environmental, ethical or health reasons: More and more people are choosing to eat less meat. The supply of protein is also no problem for them, there are plenty of herbal alternatives, which according to scientists anyway much healthier than animal. In a study, US researchers found that people could live longer thanks to vegetable proteins. German and Indian scientists now report on a protein source that was not yet on the menu in this country: "duckweed".

Researchers have shown in an investigation that duckweed is well suited for human nutrition. The so-called "duckweed" could be an important source of protein in the future. (Image: magneticmcc / fotolia.com)

Cockroach milk and duckweed
Last summer, medical professionals reported that cockroach milk as a potential protein donor would be an option. That did not sound particularly appetizing. Also unappetizing sounds "duckweed". Behind this term, however, hides a plant: the duckweed. And the "apparently has what it takes to get big," writes the Friedrich Schiller University Jena in a statement.

Valuable omega-3 fatty acids
Researchers at the University of Jena have therefore investigated the potential of various duckweed for human nutrition in cooperation with colleagues from India and Germany. The promising results were published in the journal "Food Chemistry" under the title "Nutritional value of duckweeds (Lemnaceae) as human food".

"The duckweed could certainly serve as a protein source for human nutrition," said Prof. Dr. med. Gerhard Jahreis from the University of Jena. Dairy lentils would not be called "green machines", according to the nutritionist.

According to the experts, ducklings are comparable in their protein content with lupine, rapeseed or peas. The protein yield is 30 percent of the dry matter. In addition, the plant worms contained valuable omega-3 fatty acids, such as stearidonic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Possible uses of the duckweed are smoothies or pastries that are produced gluten-free.

Duckweed does not require any additional acreage
"The duckweed multiply very quickly, but do not require additional acreage," explained PD Dr. med. Klaus Appenroth from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. In view of dwindling farmland, this is a huge advantage over, for example, soybeans.

According to the statement, duckweed has been on the menu for thousands of years in Asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

The species Wolffia globosa, which comes in Asia as a soup, vegetable garnish or omelette on the tables, have cut off in the current tests of the research group the most promising.

Balance diet-related deficiency symptoms
The "duckweed" would not be cultivated so far, but simply "harvested" from waters. In Israel and the Netherlands, however, there are first experimental facilities in which duckweed produced on an industrial scale.

The only 0.7 to 1.5 mm large Wolffia globosa multiply vegetatively so quickly that the "duckweed" covers entire water surfaces in a short time.

According to the researchers, use of the plants in the human diet also suggests that duckweed can easily absorb trace elements that are dissolved in the water. Thus, nutrition-related deficiency symptoms could be compensated with little effort.

Other potential uses of duckweed are fish farming and water purification. And they could be used to make bioethanol. (Ad)