The dietary and medicinal uses of indigenous green vegetables were studied quantitatively over a 13-month period in a rural, semi-rural and urban K'ekchi population in Guatemala. Seventeen species of indigenous greens were consumed, with seasonal variation in intake (p $<$.001) being related to agricultural practices. There was a lower frequency of consumption of greens among the urban group (p $<$.001). Within, and between, the communities, individuals exhibited heterogeneity in dietary intake and approaches to treatment of helminthic infection. There was no association between dietary intake of indigenous greens and the socioeconomic indicators measured (age, type of employment, household size and land use score). Proximate composition, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium, phylloquinone and total carotenes were determined for 13 species of indigenous greens. Composition of 5 of these has not been previously reported. Plasma phylloquinone was tested as a biochemical marker for validating determination of green plant intake.

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