Jute is one of the strongest natural plant fibers. Jute is a long, soft, shiny plant fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It’s the second most important vegetable fiber after cotton in terms of usage, global consumption, production and availability. It grows best in warm, humid climates. India, Bangladesh, and China are the main producers of jute. In addition to adding a distinct flavor to food, jute leaves also have nutritional value, and they act as thickeners in soups, stews, and sauces. Jute leaves are flavorful and tender when harvested young, older leaves are more woody and fibrous, making them less ideal for consumption.
| Name | Jute |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Corchorus olitorius |
| Native | Indian subcontinent |
| Common/English Name | Saluyot, bush okra, Jute, West African sorrel, Jew’s mallow, Egyptian spinach, Krinkrin, jute mallow, Chang shouo huang ma |
| Name in Other Languages | Arabic: Lif khaysha, Mulûkhîyah (ملوخية), Nalta, Nalita Azerbaijani: Uzunmeyvəli cut Bengali: Deshi pat, Meetha pat, Tosha pat Catalan: Jute d’Aràbia Chinese: Zhang shuo huang ma (长蒴黄麻), Shan ma (山麻) Danish: Almindelig jute, Jute, Juteplante Dutch: Jute, Juteplant English: Bangla tossa jute, Bush okra, Jew’s mallow, Long-fruited jute, Nalta jute, Nalita jute, Red jute, Tossa jute, West African sorrel, Egyptian spinach, melokhia, molochia, pot-herb jute, Tossa jute Estonian: Pikaviljaline Dzuut French: Chanvre du Bengale, Corète potagère, Corette potagère, Lalo, Lalou, Mauve des Juifs, Mélochie, corette, jute German: Judenmalve, Langkapseljute, Langkapsel-Jute, Meluchie, Nalta-Jute Greek: Ines kórchorou (Ινες κόρχορου), Korchoros (Κόρχορος) Hebrew: Mallucheyah ne’echelet, מַלּוּכְיָה נֶאֱכֶלֶת, מַלּוּכְיָה נֶאֱכֶלֶת, Hindi: Janascha kashto (जनासकाकोषटो), Jūtan (जूतन), Mitha paat (मीथ पाट), Patsan (पटसन), Paat (पाट), Patta (पट्ट), Tosha paat Italian: Corcoro ortense, Corcoro siliquoso, Malva dei giardini, Spinaci degli Ebrei Japanese: Nagamitsunaso Taiwantsunaso, Taiwan tsunaso (タイワンツナソ), moroheiya (モロヘイヤ), nagami-tsunaso (ナガミツナソ), Shimatsunaso (シマツナソ) Malay: Mulukhiyah Polish: Juta kolorowa Portuguese: Juta, Juta-tossa, melóquia Romanian: Iută Russian: Dzhut dlinnoplodnyi (Джут длинноплодный), Dzhut tossa (Джут тосса), Krasnyj dzhut (Красный джут) Spanish: Yute, Yute de fruto alargado Thai: Fak yao (ฝักยาว), Krachao (กระเจา), Po krachao (ปอกระเจา) Turkish: Kırmızı jüt, Muluhia Vietnamese: Rau đay |
| Plant Growth Habit | Herbaceous annual |
| Growing Climate | Warm, humid climates along with sufficient water |
| Soil | Well-drained, sandy loam |
| Plant Size | 10 to 12 feet (3 to 3.6 metres) in height |
| Stem | Glabrous |
| Leaf Shape & Size | 6-10 cm long, 3.5-5 cm broad, elliptic-lanceolate, apically acute or acuminate, glabrous, serrate, the lower serratures on each side prolonged into a filiform appendage over 6 mm long, rounded at the base, 3-5 nerved; petioles 2-2.5 cm long, slightly pubescent, especially towards the apex; atipules subulate, 6-10 mm long. |
| Leaf Color | Light green leaves |
| Leaf Taste | Slightly bitter |
| Flower | Small pale yellow; bracts lanceolate; 2-3 cm wide, Sepals 3 mm long, oblong, apiculate. Petals 5 mm long, oblong spathulate. |
| Fruit | Capsules 3-6.5 cm long, linear, cylindric erect, beaked, glabrous, 10-ribbed, 5-valved; valves with transverse partitions between the seeds |
| Seed | Seeds grayish black, angled |
| Varieties/Types | White jute (Corchorus capsularis), Tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius) |
| Major Nutrition | Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 94 µg (78.33%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.496 mg (38.15%) Iron, Fe 2.73 mg (34.13%) Vitamin A, RAE 225 µg (32.14%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 28.7 mg (31.89%) Copper, Cu 0.222 mg (24.67%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 90 µg (22.50%) Calcium, Ca 184 mg (18.40%) Magnesium, Mg 54 mg (12.86%) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.167 mg (12.85%) Potassium, K 478 mg (10.17%) |
| Health Benefits |
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| Calories in 1 cup (100 gm) | 32 K cal |