Nutritional functional value and therapeutic utilization of Amaranth

Abstract

In the actuality, there is an increasing trend to consume healthy/ super foods, such as Amaranth: a super crop of this millennium with high nutraceutical values. Amaranth can be considered as a "super food" because it is a gluten-free pseudo cereal that besides being a relevant source of vegetable protein, provides to the human diet, a balanced content of essential amino acids, significant amounts of calcium, dietary fiber, omega-3, omega-6, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The aim of this mini review is to provide insights into Amaranth´s health benefits such as helps to improve nutrition and health as it is a powerful vegetable protein source adequate to fight high cholesterol, avoids chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, osteoporosis, gastric problems, bad nutrition due to gluten intolerance, diabetes among others relevant diseases. Amaranth´s brief history This pseudo cereal "Amaranthus spp." is commonly called Amaranth, its name comes from the Greek word Amaranthus that means eternal flower and it is considered as an important nutritional crop. 1 Amaranth has been included in the human diet since long time ago by the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican among other ancient civilizations. 2 The Aztecs called Amaranth "Huautli" and the Mayas named it "Xtes". In the actuality, Mexicans make Amaranth sweets calling them "Alegría" meaning happiness. Now, around the World, Amaranth is being considered as a "super crop" as more evidence comes out demonstrating that is a rich nutrient pseudo cereal as shown herein. Around the 80's, Amaranth was considered by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences like an "underexploited tropical plant with promising economic value" 3 since then, research to know more about Amaranth properties has increased in order to gain insights into its nutritional and agronomic values. 4 Amaranth can be easily recognized among other crops as each plant has an "immortal colorful flower" that based in our own experience, contains around 1Kg of seeds as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 (A) Amaranthus hypochondriacus plant and (B) Amaranth seeds. Nutritional properties: Amaranth is becoming to be a super food as its composition includes high quality of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, lipids as omega-3 and omega-6, essential amino acids and other important constituents, such as squalene, tocopherols, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, phytates, vitamins and minerals. Amaranth´s nutritional composition: Amaranthus spp. belongs to Amaranthaceae family and produces a pseudo-cereal grain. Amaranth seeds contain significant amounts of high-quality proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, as shown in Figure 2 & Table 1. An important nutritional fact is that besides containing a high amount of protein, Amaranth´s seeds help to have a balanced protein

Growth characteristics, chlorophyll content and nutrients uptake in

“…Additionally, results of moderate micronutrient concentration in T. decumbens are a pointer to the fact that the species is a good candidate for phytoremediation. However, these results are comparable with various experimental results reported by Soriano-García et al (2018), (Idris et al 2019) and (Jimoh et al 2018) for other leafy vegetables like spinach, R. crispus, and amaranths, although Lion and Olowoyo (2013) had cautioned against health risk associated with over-consumption of vegetables containing these toxic metals.…”

“…Compared with other indigenous vegetables, the higher phosphorus per cent that was recorded in this study for T. decumbens (0.66%), is slightly higher than earlier values recorded for Spinacia oleracea (0.0437%), Chenopodium album (0.37%), and Solanum nigrum (0.239%) respectively reported by Ndlovu and Afolayan (2008) and Afolayan and Jimoh (2009). However, the phosphorus content of T. decumbens is comparable to that of Amaranthus spp., Rumex crispus, and Celosia argentea reported respectively by Soriano-García et al (2018), Idris et al (2019), andAdegbaju et al (2019).…”

Underutilization Versus Nutritional-Nutraceutical Potential of the Amaranthus Food Plant: A Mini-Review

“…The heated leaves are used in the treatment of tumors. Furthermore, A. tricolor and A. caudatus are used externally to treat inflammations and internally as a diuretic diet [123]. Moreover, the seeds of A. spinous are used as a poultice for broken bones.…”

“…Among the Nepalese and some tribes in India, Amaranthus spinous is used to induce abortion [24]. Countries across the world considered the bruised leaves as a good emollient [123]. Likewise, the leaves are used for gastroenteritis, gall bladder inflammation, abscesses, arthritis and are used to treat snakebites.…”

Використання Продуктів Переробки Амаранту У Виробництві Хлібобулочних Виробів

“…ня зі встановлення хімічного складу різних видів амаранту і впливу його компонентів на здоров'я людини [4][5][6][7].…”