{"id":173407,"date":"2026-05-22T09:43:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T15:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tecscience.tec.mx\/en\/?post_type=sciencecommunication&p=173407"},"modified":"2026-05-25T09:45:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T15:45:07","slug":"quelites-and-antioxidants","status":"publish","type":"sciencecommunication","link":"https:\/\/tecscience.tec.mx\/en\/science-communication\/quelites-and-antioxidants\/","title":{"rendered":"Quelites: The Mexican Food Resisting Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By\u00a0Rosa Leonor Gonz\u00e1lez-D\u00edaz<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Iv\u00e1n Luzardo-Ocampo<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across Mexico, rural communities make use of more than 500 species of edible plants. Among the most important are quelites<\/em> \u2014 traditional greens with remarkable nutritional value and growing potential to support more climate-resilient agricultural systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word quelite<\/em> comes from the Nahuatl term quilitl<\/em>, used to describe the tender leaves, stems, and flowers of edible plants [1]. Revered since pre-Hispanic times, these greens served as a vital food source during periods of winter scarcity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their long-standing use has made them central to the identity of many communities. Beyond their role in everyday diets, quelites are deeply tied to cultural traditions, festivities, artistic expressions, and medicinal practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, they are recognized not only as part of Mexico\u2019s culinary heritage but also as a natural strategy for food security, environmental adaptation, and biodiversity conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent research has highlighted the potential health benefits of quelites and their value as a sustainable food source capable of strengthening food security through nutrient-rich crops with a low environmental footprint [2,3].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quelites encompass a wide range of wild and semi-cultivated species that can thrive in diverse environments, including home gardens and the edges of agricultural fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bioactive Compounds in Quelites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For generations, quelites were a staple of daily diets across Mexico. Yet their consumption has steadily declined as industrial agriculture shifted toward crops considered more commercially strategic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These plants provide meaningful amounts of protein, carbohydrates \u2014 including dietary fiber \u2014 healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also contain smaller but equally important bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols, natural substances with antioxidant properties. These compounds help neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules linked to inflammation and chronic disease when they accumulate in the body [4].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers have also identified flavonoids and other secondary metabolites \u2014 plant-produced compounds associated with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the Healthy Foods Unit of the Obesity Research Institute at Tecnol\u00f3gico de Monterrey, scientists have identified a broad range of these compounds in the leaves and flower clusters of several quelites, including huauzontle (Chenopodium berlandieri<\/em>). Some of these flavonols have shown antioxidant activity even greater than that reported in amaranth (Amaranthus<\/em> spp.) or mullein (Verbascum thapsus<\/em>) [5].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies have also documented chemoprotective effects against human colon cancer cells in vitro<\/em> linked to compounds found in other widely consumed quelites, such as chaya leaves (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius<\/em>) and p\u00e1palo (Porophyllum ruderale<\/em>), both common throughout Mexico and Latin America [6].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These findings are particularly significant because quelites are locally available, affordable, and nutritionally dense foods capable of complementing diets increasingly dominated by ultra-processed products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainable Agriculture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many quelite species are naturally adapted to challenging environmental conditions. They can grow in nutrient-poor soils, require relatively little water, and depend on minimal agricultural inputs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That resilience makes them well-suited for sustainable farming practices. Unlike intensive monocultures, quelites promote agrobiodiversity and help improve soil structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As native species, they also hold a major advantage: greater adaptability to regional climate conditions and environmental shifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This aligns with international recommendations that encourage the diversification of traditional crops as a strategy to confront both food insecurity and climate change [7].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research increasingly shows that quelites are far more than simple \u201cwild greens.\u201d They represent an important reservoir of nutrients and could become strategic allies in the transition toward healthier diets and more sustainable agricultural systems [9,10].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The erosion of dietary diversity reflects the gradual disappearance of quelites from everyday meals, at a time when most plant-based calories worldwide come primarily from corn, rice, and wheat. Reviving traditional crops, therefore, means investing in more diverse diets while also strengthening local economies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Main references<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n