Nutritional Assessment, Lipid Profile, Antioxidant Capacity, and Preliminary Toxicity Assessment of the Leaf Blade and Petiole of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Taioba) from a Cultivar in Southeastern Brazil

Non–conventional food plants (NCFPs) have gained attention as sustainable sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds, while their underutilized edible parts may contribute to food diversification and waste reduction. This study performed a descriptive comparative analysis of the nutritional, mineral, lipid, phenolic, antioxidant, oxalate, and acute toxicity profiles of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Taioba) cultivated in Brazil. Samples were evaluated for proximate composition; minerals by ICP–OES; Folin–Ciocalteu reducing capacity; antioxidant capacity by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP; fatty acid profile by GC–FID; oxalic acid content; and toxicity using the Artemia salina bioassay. The leaf blade showed substantially higher protein, total phenolic equivalents, FRAP capacity, and concentrations of several fatty acids, including α–linolenic and linoleic acids, as well as higher levels of most analyzed minerals. Conversely, the petiole exhibited markedly higher moisture, carbohydrates, and potassium. Both fractions demonstrated high dietary fiber content, a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and low atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices. Although both fractions contained oxalates—with the leaf blade presenting nearly twice the concentration of the petiole—aqueous extracts of both parts showed no detectable acute lethality in the Artemia salina screening. Overall, the results highlight that Taioba represents a highly valuable nutritional resource. Furthermore, the integral utilization of both the leaf blade and the underutilized petiole offers a complementary, sustainable, zero–waste strategy for dietary diversification, provided that appropriate thermal processing is applied to mitigate oxalate concerns.