- Botanical Name & Family: Brassica juncea, Brassicaceae (mustard family).
- Plant Description: Annual herb, 1-2 feet tall. Features short, petiolate, elliptic to obovate basal leaves (up to 1 foot long) with varied margins. Produces bright yellow, four-petaled flowers. Cultivated for leaves and pungent seeds.
- Cultivation Tips: Cool-season vegetable. Plant up to six weeks before last spring frost or in early autumn. Thrives in full sun (6-8 hours), fertile, organically rich, consistently moist, well-drained soils. Sow 1.2 cm deep, 2.5 cm apart. Harvest 40-50 days after planting; younger leaves are milder. Bolts in heat.
- Ayurvedic Description: Considered to have a “heating” quality, ideal for winter consumption. Traditional Sarson ka Saag combines mustard greens with other greens, cooked with warming spices (garlic, ginger, green chilies) and ghee to balance properties and enhance digestibility.
Nutritional profile of seasonal vegetable (per 100g raw edible portion):
| Vegetable | Botanical Name | Calories (kcal) | Carbohydrates (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) | Key Vitamins | Key Minerals |
| Sarson Saag (Mustard Greens) | Brassica juncea | 26.8 / 15 | 4.64 / 2.6 | 2.86 / 1.6 | 0.36 / 0.2 | 3.21 / 1.8 | K (144.2 µg), C (39.2 mg), A (84.56 µg RAE) | Ca (64.4 mg), Cu, Fe, Mg, P, K, Se, Na, Zn |