1.

0 INTRODUCTION

The family Amaranthaceae is generally considered as the “Amaranth family.” The

word Amaranthus is basically derived from the Greek word “Anthos” (Flower) which

means everlasting or unwilting. At the present time it is also called a third millennium crop

plant. Based on taxonomical studies, the family is divided into two sections (Allen, 2001),

namely Amaranthus saucer and Blitopsis dumort, with nearly an equal number of species

(Thellung, 2004). The section Amaranthus is dibasic with x = 16 and 17 and Blitopsis with

x = 17 except polyploidy, that is, A. dubius (Pal, 2002; Pal and Khoshoo, 2005;

Madhusoodanan and Pal, 2001). The genus amaranth is mainly comprised of about 400

species among which few of them are found worldwide. The division of species is based on

their utilization method into grain amaranth, vegetable amaranth, ornamental, and weedy

amaranth (Sauer, 2007). Grain amaranth has four species, that is, A. hypocondricus, A.

cruentus, A caudatus, and A. edulis associated with three weedy species A. hybridus, A.

powellii, and A. quitensis (Pal and Khoshoo, 2004). The vegetable Amaranthus belongs to

the section blitopsis (Pal and Khoshoo, 2002; Madhusoodanan and Pal, 2001).

Agriculture facing a great pressure to produce greater quantities of food, feed and

biofuel on declining land resources for the projected nine billion people on the planet by

2050 (Ebert, 2010). It is envisioned that agricultural production has to increase by 70% by

2050 to cope with an estimated 40% increase in world population (Bruinsma, 2009). So

utilization of underutilized food crop performs a massive function for providing food, feed

and vitamin to such increasing population (Ebert, 2010). Amaranth is one of the few

multipurpose crops who provide grain, leafy vegetable, fodder, and greater diet then the

1
predominant staple crops (Mlakar, 2009). It is a tremendously short-lived annual which

develop vigorously, drought resistant and adapt effortlessly to new environments (Norman,

2002). It is dispensed in tropical America, India, China, Nepal, Italy, Greece, Africa, and

Australia (Stallknecht, 2003). Amaranth is not a “true cereal” such as wheat, corn or barley,

but it is rather considered a “pseudo-cereal” like buckwheat (Fagopirum esculentum) and

quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). Amaranth belongs to the order of Caryophyllales and

family of Amaranthaceae and to the genus of Amaranth. Amaranth leaves have wonderful

chemical composition with mild spinach-like taste so it comes beneath an accurate leafy

vegetable (Amicarelli and Cameggio, 2012).

The potential of vegetables to generate positive economic and nutritional impacts,

however, has been limited by the relatively low levels of support that national governments

and international donors direct to public sector vegetable research and development. Public

and private investments in agriculture are still largely focused on staple crops and oil crops,

not on commodities rich in micronutrients (Haddad et al., 2016; Pingali, 2015). To the

extent that private sector investments in lower income countries are directed at vegetables,

these tend to be focused on a narrow range of globally-important vegetables such as

tomatoes, onions, green beans, peppers, lettuce and cucumbers. The World Vegetable

Center (“World Veg”) is an international public research organization focused exclusively

on expanding vegetable production and promoting increased consumption of vegetables.

Founded in 1971 by several East and Southeast Asian countries, the United States and the

Asian Development Bank as the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center

(AVRDC), the Center now works across Asia and Africa. World Veg has a long history of

2
conservation of vegetable germplasm, successful breeding of both global and indigenous

vegetables and development of production technologies that support the growth of

vegetables on an intensification gradient from home gardens aimed at family nutrition to

intensive market-oriented vegetable farming at scale.

Objectives

The objective of this study is to review the economic importance of vegetables in

Nigeria with special reference to Amaranth vegetable.

3
2.0 Reviews on Amaranth

2.1 Origin of Amaranth

By the great establishment and huge spread distribution of grain Amaranthus in

Asia, early botanists and explorers thought them to be indigenous to Asia. Amaranthus

Grain Amaranth like Amaranthus cruentus L. occur in the Indo Burma area (Candolle,

2006; Vavilov, 2001; Darlington, 2003). However, domestication of grain Amaranth began

in America, based on the data from geographical, morphological, archeological,

ethnobotanical and physiological studies (Sauer, 2000; Sauer, 2007). The genus Amaranth

in represented in the country Senegal by 4 species, Amaranthus hybridus sub spp. cruentus,

Amaranthus graccizans, Amaranthus spinosus and Amaranthus viridis and other two are

Amaranthus caudatas var viridis and Amaranthus caudatus var. purpureus. The last

species could be considered as separate species of genus Amaranthus because of its specific

characters (Sarr, 2006).

2.1.1 History of Amaranth

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 (Rastogi and Shulka, 2013). Amaranth has been included in

the human diet since long time ago by the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican among other

ancient civilizations (Alvarez–Jubete et al., 2010). 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

4
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” (NAS, 2004) since then, research to know more about Amaranth properties has

increased in order to gain insights into its nutritional and agronomic values (Ulbricht et al.,

2009). 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.

2.1.2 Species of Amaranth

The household Amaranthaceae is typically regarded as the “Amaranth family”. The

word Amaranthus is basically derived from the Greek word “Anthos” (Flower) which

means eternal or unwilting (Rastogi and Shukla, 2013). Based on taxonomical studies, the

family is divided into two sections (Allen, 2001), namely Amaranthus saucer and Blitopsis

dumort. The section Amaranthus is dibasic with x = 16 and 17 and Blitopsis with x = 17

accept polyploidy, that is, Amaranthus dubius (Pal, 2002; Pal and Khoshoo, 2005;

Madhusoodanan and Pal, 2001). Vegetable amaranth has two major species, Amaranthus

tricolor and Amaranthus lividis. The ornamental species includes Amaranthus tricolor.

About 400 species of Amaranthus are distributed throughout the world in temperate,

subtropical, and tropical climate zones (Suma, 2002) and few of them are distributed

worldwide (Anonymous, 2002). About 20 species are cultivated or found widely in India.

Among grain types some species are considered as native to south and Central America

5
(Grubben and Van Stolen, 2001) while some other types are native to Europe, Asia, Africa,

and Australia (Becker, 2001; Teutonico, 2005).

Three principal species of amaranth originated in South America and belongs to

genus Amaranthus, are considered for grain production (Sauer, 2007): Amaranthus

hypochondriacus L. (sin. Amaranthus leucocarpus S. Watts, Amaranthus frumentaceous)-

prince’s feather; Amaranthus cruentus L. sin. Amaranthus paniculatus L. - bush greens, red

amaranth and; Amaranthus caudatus L. of two subspecies: subsp. caudatus; and subsp.

mantegazzianus passerini syn.: Amaranthus edulis Spagazzini, named love-liebleeding and

Inca wheat, respectively. Mostly several amaranthus species have edible leaves, but some

species are known as vegetable amaranths; Amaranthus blitum L. (sin. Amaranthus lividus

L.), Amaranthus viridis L. (sin. Amaranthus gracilis Desf.) and Amaranthus tricolor L.

(sin. Amaranthus gangeticus L.). Amaranth can be divided into two groups, based on their

consumption viz., grain and vegetable amaranths (Mlakar, 2009)

2.2 Plant Morphology of Amaranth

Amaranth is a dicotyledonous, herbaceous plant with an erect stem and large

inflorescence. Amaranth is C4 plant and belongs into team of NAD-malic enzyme-type of

C4 metabolism. Some anatomical characteristics of amaranth and its C4-photosynthesis

pathway result in increased efficiency of the usage of CO2 below an extensive vary of

temperature (from 25°C to 40°C), below greater mild intensity, and moisture stress

environments. All this contribute to the crop’s huge geographic adaptability to numerous

environmental conditions (Kigel, 2004).

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2.2.1 Roots of Amaranth

Amaranth have a fast growing root system, which causes it causes roots easily

uptake water and nutrition from soil. After days of sowing roots can be reach up to 2.4 m in

soil and spread around 1.8 m. This fast growing root system found in both vegetable and

grain amaranth, which make it competitive with other crops (Kigel, 2004).

2.2.2 Stem of Amaranth

The stem is 0.5 to 3.5 m in height, simple or branched, relying on species, genotype

and developing conditions, however usually on plant population. The primary breeding

goal of amaranth is minimizing plant peak up to 1.5m and pick out genotypes with a much

less degree of branching (Kaufman, 2002).

2.2.3 Amaranth Leaves

Leaves are of a number in shapes viz., elliptic, rhombic, ovate, lanceolate or

rhombate-ovate, with acute, obtuse or acuminate leaf tips, of green, purple or silver colour.

Because of anthocian (amaranthine) colouration, totally purple plant life and flowers with

reddish or silver spots on the leaves additionally exist (Williams and Brenner, 1995).

2.2.4 Amaranth Inflorescence

Amaranth is a monoecious, flora is unisexual with a pentamerous organization.

Each of plant life has a bract of purple, orange, crimson or gold in colour, and is developed

on branched flower clusters named glomerules (a glomerulus (sing.) is a fundamental unit

of inflorescence and is described as a dichasial (cyme). In each clusters the first flowers are

7
male (staminate) and following are female (pistilate). The crop is frequently pollinated by

wind (anemophilus), up to ninety percent pollination takes place on the same crop, but in

some genotypes and occasions the price of cross-pollination can enlarge up to 30 %. In

each glomerulus, the male flower open before female plant life therefore female plants are

pollinated by pollen from other glomerulus (Sauer, 2007; Kigel, 2004). Grain type

amaranth has a large, more or much less branched inflorescence. Amaranthus

hypochondriacus and Amaranthus caudatus have an erect inflorescence, inflorescence of

Amaranthus cruentus is semi erect, and the inflorescence of Amaranthus caudatus is lax,

long and dropping. Most of amaranth inflorescence and branches have indeterminate

increase addiction and for this reason can reach long lengths barring for Amaranthus

caudatus subsp. mantegazzianus which has a determinate or club-shaped inflorescence.

Inflorescence can be of a number in colours: yellow, green, purple, orange, pink, violet,

brown and two-coloured inflorescence (Williams and Brenner, 1995).

2.2.5 Amaranth Seeds

Amaranth seed is borne in a utricle, which is categorized as dehiscent, semi-

dehiscent, or indehiscent kind (grain shattering relies upon on the type of utricle). The seed

of amaranth are white, gold, brown or red to black. Seed is lenticular and tremendously

small (0.9 to 1.7 mm diameter) with 1000-seed weight ranging from 0.6 to 1 g (Kigel,

2004).

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2.3 Chemical Composition of Amaranth

2.3.1 Starch

Starch is the main component of amaranth grain and used in food preparations (Wu

and Corke, 1999). Starch is reported to be 48% in A. cruentus and 62% in A.

hypocondriacus (Becker et al., 2001; Saunders and Becker, 2004). The shape of starch

granules varies species to species as small, 1–3 µ in diameter, angular, and polygonal in

shape in A. hypocondriacus (Lorenz, 2001; Saunders and Becker, 2004; Stone and Lorenz,

1984), spherical as well as angular and polygonal with smooth surface and size varies from

0.75 to 1.5 nm in A. cruentus (McMasters Becker et al., 2005; Stone and Lorenz, 2004;

Qian and Kuhn, 1999; Hoover Becker et al., 1998), and spherical in small amount with

large irregular starch chunks in A. retroflexus (Goering, 2007).

A. hypocondriacus seeds have nonglutinous and glutinous type starch with nearly

100% typical amylopectin (Tomita et al., 2001; Okumo and Sakaguchi, 2001),

nonglutinous type in A. caudatus (Okumo and Sakaguchi, 2001; 2002), and glutinous types

in A. cruentus (McMasters e et al., 2005). As compared to the starch in corn and wheat, the

starch of A. cruentus and A. hypocondriacus has higher swelling power or absorbance

capacity (Resio et al., 1999), lower solubility, greater uptake, lower susceptibility to

amylases, and lower amylase content (4.7 to 12.5%; Qian and Kuhn, 1999; Stone and

Lorenz, 2004; Kong et al., 2009).

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2.3.2 Fat/Oil

Amaranthus oil is extracted from the seeds of two species, that is, A. cruentus and

A. hypocondriacus, which range between 4.8–8.1% (Gamel et al., 2007; He and Corke,

2003). The hyper oxide stability test showed oil is more soluble than sunflower oil (Gamel

et al., 2007). The melting point of amaranth oil is −27◦C. The oil is medium to light in

color, clear and pourable, at low temperature, and highly unsaturated with a delicate

agreeable aroma and taste. It contains mainly non-polar lipid compounds especially

triglycerides (80.3–82.3%) with a degree of unsaturation and a very low amount (about9.1–

10.2%) of phospholipids (Gamel et al., 2007). Oil is also an excellent source of omega

series of fatty acids. The digestibility of oil corresponds approximately to that of cotton but

A. cruentus oil has low digestibility. The oil also has tocols (1465.15 mg/kg) and squalene

(upto 6.8%) as compared to wheat germ oil which has only 0.1–1.7%.

Squalene, an oxidation resistant lubricant, is unsaturated open chain fatty acid

generally used in the cosmetic and skin care products production industry. A. cruentus has

4.0–10.0% squalene (Gamel et al., 2007; Grazdiene, 2007), A. hypocondriacus has 6.1%,

A. tricolor has 5.1% while A. edulis has 6.7% (Becker et al., 2001; He and Corke, 2003;

He et al., 2002). The oil is composed of myristic acid (upto 0.6%), palmitic acid (upto

18.7%), stearic acid (upto 5.3%), anarchidic acid (upto 1.9%), behenic acid (upto 2.6%),

oleic acid (upto 30.5%), linolenic acid (upto 62%), and linoleic acid (upto 40%; Badami

and Patil, 1976; Jahaniaval et al., 2000; He and Corke, 2003; He et al., 2002). It was

noticed that there was a positive correlation between squalene yield and oil content and

negative between linoleic and either of the two fatty acids, palmitic acid and oleic acid. The

10
ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids decreased with the maturity (He and Corke,

2003). Amaranth oil can raise HDL cholesterol and significantly reduce non-HDL

cholesterol which lowers the low density lipoprotein cholesterol by 21–50% (Chaturvedi et

al., 2007).

The seeds of the spp. A. tricolor yield upto 4.3% oil with 22.2% saturated and

77.8% unsaturated fatty acids (Chidambaram and Iyer, 2001). Among the saturated acids,

the content of myristric acid remain upto 24.3%, palmitic acid upto 38.4%, stearic acid

upto 32.98%, anarchidic acid upto 2.32%, while in unsaturated acid linoleic acid upto

55.13% and oleic acid upto 44.87%. A growth inhibitory steroid amasterol is reported in

the roots which was identified as 24 methylene 20 hydroxy cholesterol-5, 7-en, 3 β-ol (Roy

et al., 2002).

Fat, the second important content present in grain amaranth, is higher than cereal.

The fat is characterized by a high content of unsaturated fatty acids and major saturated

fatty acids. Linoleic acid is a major fatty acid in oil which is more than 50% in the seeds of

grain amaranth. The next higher on eisoleic acid with more than 20% followed by palmitic

acid which is about 20%. The major unsaturated fatty acid in the vegetable amaranth is

linoleic acid which is 49% in seeds and 46% in leaves. Among the major saturated fatty

acids, 42% linolenic acid remains present in leaves and about 18–25% palmitic acid in

leaves, stem, and seeds (Fernando and Bean, 2004). The degree of unsaturation of fatty

acids is over 75%.

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 The leaves of A. caudatus has β-sitosterol (Dixit and Verma, 2001), while the

leaves and stem of A. spinosus has α-spinasterols and hentricontane (Banerji and

Chakravarti, 2003). The roots of A. spinosus have ester of octacosanoic acid with α-

spinasterols. Massimo et al. (2004) reported βsitosterols and three major phytosterols that

is, µ sitosterols, campesterol, and stigmasterol in Amaranthus species K343, RRC1011,

K433, and K432.

2.3.3 Protein

Grain Amaranth has more protein than corn and other major cereal grains (Bejosano

and Corke, 1998). Lysine is the principal component which limits amino acid in cereals

like maize, wheat, and rice. EAAI value (upto 90.4%) showed that the protein is

comparable with egg protein and can be used as a substitute for a meal (Pisarikova et al.,

2005). The protein is relatively high in sulphur containing amino acid (4.4%; Senft, 2000),

which is normally present in the pulses crops. The protein component of amaranth is quite

close to the level recommended by the FAO/WHO for a balanced diet in humans. The

protein in grain amaranth ranges from 14.5% to 15.1% (Rodas and Bressani, 2009) and in

leaf upto 14.3 g/kg with an average of 12.4 g/kg (Shukla et al., 2003; 2006; Prakash and

Pal, 2001). The protein content in amaranth leaf is also higher than spinach, another leafy

vegetable.

The lysine in protein ranges from 40–50 g/kg. The amino acid composition revealed

that Amaranthus is a rich source of important amino acids, namely, alnine, valine, leucine,

arginine, phenylalanine, pralines, methionines, α aminobutyric acid, tryptophan, isoleucine,

12
and serine which suggests that amaranth is a pseudo cereal which can be used as a

substitute to nutrient cereal (Pedersen et al., 2007; Gorinstein et al., 2002; Jaiswal et al.,

2004; Misra et al., 2003; 2005; Mukut and Andhiwal, 2006; Vasi and Kalintha, 2000;

Ramachandran and Phanasalkar, 2006; Jaun et al., 2007; Pisarikova et al., 2005). Juan et al.

(2007) illustrated that the wild species have more equilibrate amino acids which can be

introgressed in a cultivated species through hybridization.

2.3.4 Minerals

A large number of necessary minerals have been reported in Amaranthus. The

vegetable amaranth leaves (A. tricolor) have potassium from 6.4 to 6.7 g/kg with an

average of 3.7 ± 0.26 g/kg, calcium 0.73 to 1.9 g/kg with a mean 1.7 ± 0.04 g/kg,

magnesium from 2.8 to 3.0 g/kg with an average of 2.9 ± 0.01 g/kg, zinc 434. 7 to 1230

mg/kg with an average of 791.7±28.98 mg/kg, iron 783–2306 mg/kg with mean 1233.8 ±

50.02 mg/kg, manganese 66.7–155 mg/kg with an average 108.1 ± 3.82 mg/kg, and nickel

321.3 to 89.3 mg/kg with an average of 222.6±9.51 mg/kg (Shukla et al., 2006).

In grain types, minerals are twice as high as the cereals and about 66% of these

minerals remain present in bran and germ fractions (Saunders and Becker, 2004). Bran and

germ layers have high ash than the perisperm. The grains also have high content of

calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and zinc.

2.3.5 Vitamins

Amaranthus has necessary daily required vitamins up to anutrient significant level

and can be an excellent source for reducing vitamin deficiency (Graebner et al., 2003). In

13
the leaves of A. tricolor, vitamin A (carotenoids) ranged from 0.83 ± 0.02 mg/kg and

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) ranged from 112.33±5 mg/kg (Shukla et al., 2006). Amaranth

has more riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C than cereal and is also a good source of

vitamin E that has anti-oxidative property. An organic compound called quercetin and

Vitamin K is also reported in A. blitum (Ganju and Puri, 2009).

2.3.6 Fiber

Fiber is also a naturally occurring constituent of Amaranthus. In the leaves of

vegetable amaranth fiber ranged between 6.95–9.65% with an average 8.39±0.1% (Shukla

et al., 2006). In grain amaranth fiber is slightly lower than wheat which occurs in bran

instead of perisperm layer. The fiber content ranged from 19.5–27.9%, 35.1–49.3% and

33–44% in A cruentus, A. hypocondriacus, and A. caudatus respectively (Pedersen et al.,

2000).

Instead of these primary nutritionally important compounds some other secondary

metabolites that derived from metabolic and synthetic pathways in amaranth also play an

important role in the human diet besides performing some special functions in the plants.

The descriptions of such important secondary metabolites are discussed as follows.

2.3.7 Phytic Acids

The phosphorus present in the amaranth plant is produced through the presence of

phytic acid. The phytic acid ranges between 0.3 to 0.6% in Amaranthus which is equally

distributed in the seeds. It is decreased by abrasive dehulling or extraction with water. The

phytic acid has a property to lower the cholesterol level in human system.

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2.3.8 Saponins

Saponins are found in small quantities in some of the Amaranthus species. In seeds

of A. cruentus, it varied from 0.09–0.1% of dry weight. Such a low quantity of saponins is

not hazardous for consumers. The saponins present in roots of A. spinosus are β-D-

glucopyranosyl (1→4)-βD-glucopyranosyl(1→4)-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1→3)oleanolic

acid (Banerji and Chakravarti, 1973; Banerji, 2000), β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→2)-β-D-

glucopyranosyl(1→2)-β-Dglucopyranosyl(1→3)-α-spinasterol and β-D-glucopyranosyl

(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranosyl (1→3)-α-spinasterol (Banerji, 2000). Junkuszew et al. (1998)

reported four new saponins, namely, 3-beta-(O-glucopyranosyl) ester, 3-beta-O-(alpha-

Lrhamnopyranosyl (1–>3)-beta-glucuronopyranosyl)-2 beta, 3 beta, 23-trihydroxyolean-

12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-(beta-Dglucopyranosyl) ester, 3 beta-O-(beta- glucopyranosyl)-2

beta, 3 beta-dihydroxy-30 norolean-12,20(29)-diene-23,28-dioic acid 28-O-(beta-D-

glucopyranosyl) ester together with known chondrillasterol (5 alpha- stigmasta-7,22-dien-3

beta-ol) and its 3-O- glucopyranoside.

2.3.9 Pigments and Chlorophyll

The beautiful color of leaves in ornamental amaranth is due to the presence of

betacyanin pigments which belongs to betaline group. In amaranth betacyanin compounds

are identified as amaranthin and iso amaranthin (Dixit et al., 2001; Stintzing et al., 2004;

Repo-Carrasco-Valencia et al., 2010). The compound is O-(β –D glucopyranosuluronic

acid)-5-O-β-D glucopyranosides of betadine and iso betadine respectively. The amaranthin

is an intermediate compound involved in the conversion of nitrogen compounds in the cell

15
(Gins et al., 2002). In the leaves of vegetable amaranth, chlorophyll a ranges between 490 ±

71.13 to 655.74 ± 109.18 and chlorophyll b ranges between 406.27±65.81 to

554.92±103.02 mg/kg (Shukla et al., 2003; Ivete et al., 2004). The immense biosynthesis

of amaranthine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine caused a decrease in the contents of lignin,

protein, and cellulose in leaves (Gins et al., 2002).

2.3.10 Oxalates and Nitrates

Besides immense nutritional properties amaranth has two anti-nutritional

compounds, oxalates and nitrates, which ranged from 5.1–19.2 g/kg in vegetable type and

3–16.5 g/kg in grain types and from 0.8–0.80% mg/kg in vegetable and grain types

(Prakash and Pal, 2001; Gelinas and Seguin, 2007). The two anti-nutritional compounds

have the property to inhibit the absorption of calcium and zinc which latterly causes the

development of kidney stones (Siener et al., 2006; Radek and Savage, 2008). The anti-

nutritional compounds can easily be removed by boiling of seeds or leaves for 5 minutes

before using it for edible purposes.

2.4 Agro-industrial Uses

Grain amaranth assumes greater nutritional significance as a fancy food crop for

elaborating specific industrial products like bread, pastry, biscuits, flakes, crackers, ice-

cream and in elaborating lysine prosperous infant foods. The toasted seed flour combined

with wheat in 10:90 ratio gave bread of excellent fine as compared to one of 100% wheat.

Amaranth meal or flour should be blended with wheat meal or wheat flour because it lacks

useful gluten (Sanche i-Marroquin, 2003). The new meals products, Amarlac and Amara

16
meal of excessive dietary nice had been lately released in Guatemala by way of the

Amaranth Food Company signify the first output of quite a few years of lookup to

processing and utilization of amaranth grains and transformed it into high fine human

meals mainly for younger adolescents and pregnant girls (Amaranth News Letter, 2007).

This merchandise can be tried in India. Amaranthus Grain, amaranth germ and bran

include 20% oil which can be exploited as suitable for eating oil. The starch that make up

the bulk of amaranth flour has extremely small granules (average diameter 1 micron) a

unique dodecahedral structure; and high water absorption capacity. It is in all likelihood to

prove beneficial for software in the food, high pleasant plastics, cosmetics and other

industries. The other new makes use of amaranth are herbal dyes, prescription drugs

(laxative) and Squalene, an excessive priced cloth found in amaranth grain but generally

received from shark livers and used in cosmetics. The amaranth foliage is edible with

organic fee related and even finest to frequent vegetables of popular consumption,

consisting of less oxalates and nitrates. Therefore, it can be recommended as necessary

meals for human nutrition. In mineral content iron, calcium, phosphorus is found in

amaranth green rank at the top. Eighty two percent of India's population lives in rural areas.

These area units specifically engaged in agricultural pursuit, Low worth cereals and greens

varieties the predominant components of their diet. Dark inexperienced leaves, that area

unit in-expensive, area unit prosperous sources of variety of nutrients metal, iron, carotene,

riboflavin, vitamin B complex and water-soluble vitamin, that entire area unit very

important for boom and preservation of standard health.

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3.0 Economic Importance of Amaranth

Vegetable amaranth has received significantly less research attention than grain

amaranth. However, it has been rated considerably higher in minerals, such as calcium,

iron, phosphorous (Makus and Davis, 2004; Igbokwe et al., 2008) and carotenoids

(Martirosyan et al., 2004) than most vegetables. Pharmacological properties of different

amaranth species also have been investigated. It was determined that Amaranthus

paniculatus and Amaranthus cruentus are good sources of flavanoids, especially for rutin,

which are mostly produced in the stage of blossoming (Martirosyan et al., 2003). Usage of

amaranth as livestock feed indicated relatively high protein qualities (Sanchez et al., 2000;

Kadoshnikov et al., 2001; Sleugha et al., 2001).

The leaves, shoots and tender stems are eaten as a potherb in sauces or soups,

cooked with other vegetables, with a main dish or by itself. The seed/ grain are also edible.

Chopped plants have been used as forage for livestock. It was reported through the ECHO

network that goats fed amaranth forage consistently bore twins! And, the flowers are nice

ornamentals, fresh or dried. Amaranth is not in the grass family, therefore is not considered

a cereal grain. However, since it is used much like cereal grains, and is often called a

pseudo cereal. Like other small grains, amaranth may be processed in popped, flaked,

extruded and grind flour forms (O’Brien and Price, 2008).

In Mexico, the popped amaranth confection, ‘alegría’ is a popular favorite among

locals and tourists. The flour or flaked forms are combined with wheat or other flours to

make bread, cereals, cookies and other baked goods. Amaranth used to make up only 10-

18
20% of the flour blend, but it can be blended at 50-75% levels and still maintain functional

properties and flavor. Coarsely ground amaranth is used to make a tasty and nutritious

porridge cooked by itself or mixed with other grains and pseudo cereals such as oats

(Avena spp.), wheat (Triticum spp.), milled flax seed (Linum usitatissimum), wheat germ,

and cañihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule). Other seed components with useful potential

include anthocyanin (red) pigments to produce non-toxic natural dyes, microcrystalline

starch for food and industry and squalene, specialized oil used in skin cosmetics, computer

and pharmaceutical industries (O’Brien and Price, 2008).

Several studies have shown that like oats, amaranth seed or oil may be of benefit for

those with hypertension and cardiovascular disease; regular consumption reduces blood

pressure and cholesterol levels, while improving antioxidant status and some immune

parameters (Czerwiński et al., 2004; Gonor et al., 2006; Martirosyan et al., 2007). While

the active ingredient in oats appears to be water-soluble fiber, amaranth appears to lower

cholesterol via its content of plant stanols and squalene.

19
3.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

3.1 Conclusion

In conclusion, amaranth has proven to be a potential vegetable in Nigeria, amaranth

which consumed in most countries in the world. The starch composition of amaranth grain

can be used in food preparation starch composition is reported to be 48% and 62% in

different species of amaranth, the vegetable has also proven to be a good source of fat/oil,

studies shows that amaranth grains is reach in protein compared to corn and other major

cereal grains, it is also a reach source of minerals, vitamins and fiber. Though some anti-

nutrient effect of amaranth limits the nutritional benefits of amaranth the good news which

can be treated it can be treated with heat. Economic importance of amaranth cannot be

underestimated because it serves as source of food for humans; it can also be used as

medicinal ingredients because of its pharmacological properties.

3.2 Recommendation

Based on the above study, it is therefore recommended that amaranth should be

cultivated and consumed because of its nutritional and pharmacological properties. The

Antinutrient content of amaranth should also be treated with heat in order to enjoy the

nutrient content.

20
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