Aromatic plants used as condiments: prevalence of polyunsaturated fatty acids

Abstract

Traditionally, aromatic plants are added to improve the flavor and taste of meals and substitute the excessive use of salt or fatty condiments. Known since antiquity as functional foods, these herbs are still recommended in contemporary dietary programs to provide additional physiological benefits to the normal nutritional requirements. Among the phytochemicals responsible for these properties, fatty acids can be highlighted, especially essential fatty acids that play important nutritional roles in growth, reproduction and good health. Thus, the present study aimed to compare the fatty acids composition of twenty-six species widely consumed as condiments, namely dill, chives, coriander, hart's pennyroyal, tarragon, bay laurel, peppers, oregano, parsley, winter savory, common thyme, marjoram, rosemary, lavender, broom, lemon grass, fennel, spearmint, peppermint, lemon verbena, basil, pennyroyal, common sage, sweet leaf, mastic thyme, and lemon thyme. For that purpose, the technique GC-FID (gas chromatography with flame ionization detection) was used and the results were expressed in relative percentage of each fatty acid.

In the assessed condiments, thirty-two different fatty acids were found, with prevalence of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), followed by saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). Broom revealed the highest percentage of SFA (60.12%), with the significant contribution of palmitic (C16:0, 25.66%) and arachidic (C20:0, 13.39%) acids. Peppers revealed a prevalence of MUFA with high percentages of oleic acid (C18:1n9, 19.26%), while chives and fennel presented the highest percentages of PUFA, both with large percentages of linoleic (C18:2n6; 22.85 and 24.38%, respectively) and α-linolenic (C18:3n3; 47.77 and 45.89%, respectively) acids.

With this study, it was possible to deepen the knowledge of several aromatic plants regarding to its fatty acids composition, allowing corroborate the importance of its contribution to an improved nutrition.