An overview of the nutritional and therapeutic properties of
amaranth
Moazma Sattar
a
, Farhan Saeed
a
, Muhammad Afzaal
a
, Amara Rasheed
a
, Aliha Asif
a
,
Sadia Sharif
a
, Muzzamal Hussain
a
, Haz Asad Ur Rehman
a
, Muhammad Ahtisham Raza
a
,
Haroon Munir
a
, and Entessar Al Jbawi
b
a
Department of Food Science, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan;
b
Agricultural Extension
Directorate, MAAR, Damascus, Syria
ABSTRACT
Amaranthus spp. was found a few centuries back as a highly auspicious plant
species that might yield signicant unsaturated fat, protein, and several
other benecial ingredients. Since that day, studies have mainly centered
on dierent Amaranthus spp. Various journals with fundamental character-
istics, including biological, pharmacological, technical, compositional, bota-
nical along with health impacts have been published. This in-depth analysis
focuses on constituents, anti-oxidant qualities, uses, and processing of amar-
anth. In addition to macro-components, the composition also contains vita-
mins, tocopherols, polyphenols, phytates, squalene, and other signicant
ingredients. Humankind has long been aware of the advantages plants
have for supporting health. Amaranth is currently generating more scientic
and commercial concern. This is because of its benecial biological traits,
diverse nutraceutical activity, and extensive phytoconstituents. Amaranth is
a pseudo cereal plant that combines the qualities of a food and a health-
improving commodity into one plant. This article addresses the most impor-
tant biological and pharmacological activity of amaranth, in addition to its
chemical makeup, status as a dietary ingredient, and eectiveness of its
supplementation. The favorable biological features of amaranth formulations
discussed in this work may serve as a catalyst for additional, deep scientic
study in this area as well as for the advancement of new methods utilizing
this pseudo cereal in the cosmetic & food sectors.
ARTICLE HISTORY
Received 1 September 2023
Revised 21 December 2023
Accepted 5 January 2024
KEYWORDS
Pseudo-cereals; amaranth;
pharmacological activity;
chemical composition;
health benefits
Introduction
Pseudocereals including quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, etc. are unexploited plants that are
gluten-free, high in protein, & include other myriad vital nutritional components. These plants
have indeed been known to offer beneficial health-promoting characteristics for millennia.
Guidelines for nutritional supplements, functional foods, and pharmaceutical items are based
on their formulations.
[1]
Amaranth has recently sparked significant attention in science and
technology. This is because of its beneficial biological qualities, diverse phytochemical makeup,
and broad therapeutic potential. A pseudocereal cultivar has two traits i.e. amaranth, integrat-
ing food and health-promoting qualities.
[2]
When a comparison is made to true cereals,
amaranth grain is a highly nutritious pseudo cereal with a higher protein content. It’s a well-
balanced diet with special attributes that have been proven to have medicinal value. Modern
international food security depends on the logical and successful research of self-sustaining
CONTACT Entessar Al Jbawi dr.entessara@gmail.com Agricultural Extension Directorate, MAAR, Damascus, Syria
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD PROPERTIES
2024, VOL. 27, NO. 1, 263–272
https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2024.2304266
© 2024 Moazma Sattar, Farhan Saeed, Muhammad Afzaal, Amara Rasheed, Aliha Asif, Sadia Sharif, Muzzamal Hussain, Hafiz Asad Ur Rehman,
Muhammad Ahtisham Raza, Haroon Munir and Entessar Al JbawiPublished with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/),
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this
article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
indigenous plants.
[3]
Over than 1 million worth eating spp. are being utilized by humans for
several years, but currently, hardly 150 botanical species of amaranth are marketed globally.
Even though there are more than 10,000 edible species that humans have used throughout
history, only 150 plant species are commercialized on a significant global scale today.
[4]
Of
these, 12 species provide about 80% of the dietary energy from plants, and just four species –
rice, wheat, maize, and potatoes – provide more than 60% of the world’s protein and calorie
needs.
[5]
Consequently, during the past several years, a lot of academics have turned their
attention to the reclamation of important but occasionally overlooked plants. The genus
Amaranthus, also referred to as amaranth, is a diverse group of seasonal or close-to-the-end
perennials with about 60 species. Depending on their usage for human nutrition, amaranths
can be classified as either grain or vegetable amaranths. Amaranth was a significant plant in
the Aztec, Mayan, and Incan civilizations; however, since the collapse of the Central American
nations, its output has dramatically decreased.
[6]
Amaranth was chosen as one of the 36 most
prospective tropical plants around the globe and designated as a potentially significant crop in
the 1975 research by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
[7]
Consequently, amaranth is
a promising food source that can enhance well-being and lower the incidence of metabolic
diseases. The medicinal benefits of amaranth products are regarded as being of utmost
significance, since they can be used to cure conditions like diarrhea, heavy menstruation,
and intestinal bleeding, among others.
[8]
Amaranthus spp. has been the subject of numerous
reviews that have been written and published; these studies cover a variety of topics, including
production, formulations, use, and health consequences.
[9]
The purpose of this article was to
provide a comprehensive summary of the studies that have been conducted on the following
characteristics of Amaranthus species: constituents, antioxidative potential, utilizations, and
processing impacts. For quite a long duration, these facts of amaranth research have not been
thoroughly examined. The evaluation is primarily based on studies released in the recent few
decades, but it also includes some significant findings from older periods to provide conclu-
sions for a larger time perspective.
Production all around the globe
Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) has also been utilized as a main staple by many cultures all around
antiquity, including the Incas, Mayans, and Mexican nations. The Aztecs grew Amaranthus spp
varieties as their primary field crop. The nutritive amaranth grain has been dubbed “mysticism of
the Mexicans’ crops,” “wonder crops of the Mexicans”.
[10]
These are vegetable Amaranthus species
and are used for foodstuff in a variety of places, including the Southwest American, Southern
Philippines, Chinese, Indian, African, Nepalian, Caribbean, Grecians, Italian & Russian
civilizations.
[11]
Mexico and Kenya are currently implementing similar schemes. “Oscar Blanco,”
“Noel Vietmeyer,” and “Alan Garcia” are some of the varieties of A. caudatus L. published by the
University of Cuzco in Peru. Growers in Peru are growing these three varieties commercially on
hundreds of hectares.
[12]
In India, a variety of A. hypochondriacus L. known as “Annapurna” was
produced. The genera Amaranthus has three varieties that produce enormous seed heads with
delicious, fade-colored seeds. Mexico and Guatemala are home to A. cruentus L. and
A. hypochondriacus L. Grain amaranths (Amaranthus species.) are a New Frontier native.
[13]
Millions of acres of this pseudo-cereal were grown by pre-Colombian. Grains amaranth, together
with maize and beans, is reported to have been a crucial component of several indigenous commu-
nities’ cultivating plans. Amaranth seedlings (or “grain”) were an essential pillar for the Aztecs.
Amaranthus farming has deteriorated to such an extent that it had mainly been produced in The
United Mexican state, The Andes, and The Indian & Nepalian Eastern Himalayas Range by the middle
of the 21st century in smaller lots.
[9]
Still, now, research suggests that certain domestic producers are
bypassing the cultivation of indigenous amaranth rootstocks in favor of high-yield crops.
264 M. SATTAR ET AL.
Nutritional composition
This grain has traits of either a cereal or a leguminous seed, from either a botanical or nutrient content
aspect. But it does have a configuration of polypeptides & proteins that falls midway between the
legumes & the cereals. This is always regarded as a naturally occurring blend of legumes & rice in
terms of nutritive food.
[14]
However, Amaranthus contains a lot of soluble fiber of about 4.2% & an
estimated protein composition of betwixt 12.5% and 17.6%.
[15]
It has a methionine content of 15.8
milligrams per gram of the total protein and a lysine value of 55.8 milligrams per gram of the total
protein. In comparison to most cereals with low levels of those proteins, the high amounts of
methionine and lysine contribute to its excellent nutritive value.
[16]
Despite this, these researchers
discovered that amaranth has a reduced storage protein concentration (42% of the total), comparable
to wheat and other grains, which have greater amounts.
[17]
The amount of lipid in amaranth varies
greatly reliant on the variety of genus & genetic makeup, ranging from 1.9–9.7%. The Palmitic, oleic, &
linoleic, as well as the linolenic fatty acid, are found in larger proportions that are almost 1.4% of the
whole fatty acids. Amaranth seed oil has been related to the potential benefit of decreasing blood
cholesterol levels since it includes a substantial amount of squalene, which can vary from 6–8% and
almost 0.5% of amaranthus.
[18]
Amaranthus is additionally known for its rich carbs, proteins, fats, and
vitamin and mineral contents which are given as follows. Nutritional composition of Amaranth was
presented in Table 1.
Factors aecting the nutritional composition
Apart from the apparent effects of heat treatment or other processing activities on the digestibility and
accessibility of carbs, and protein, the potential for changes in the composition of all active chemicals
is also important.
[19]
In recent studies researchers examined the effect of cooking, popping, toasting,
extruding, and milling amaranthus as well as discovered that these treatments decreased the average
totals of aromatic compounds by 30% while toasting had been the only process with a substantial
reduction in antioxidant activity. Extruding, popping, and toasting did not affect the ability of
amaranth to suppress lipid oxidation.
[20]
Heat processing has also been shown to influence antioxidant
phenolics in amaranth in other experiments. Following the economical extruder processing, the
aromatic compounds, antioxidant activity, and phytic acid concentration of amaranth edulis cultivars
were considerably reduced, as evaluated by two chemical techniques.
[21]
In hydrothermal treatment,
the overall activity of aromatic compounds, inositol-hexa-phosphate & antioxidizing agents is sig-
nificantly reduced. During the relative phenol reservation analysis, found that earth-nuts and crop
legumes retained more phenolics than coracan (African millet), cypsela, and pepita, and also found
that Amaranthus can be damaged by heat treatments. After immersing and heating, the content of
a Kenyan A. cruentus variety is reduced by around 70% in gallic acid equivalent.
[20]
In aspects of
Table 1. Nutritional composition of Amaranth.
Components Percentages
1. Carbohydrates 68.1
2. Proteins 14.6
3. Fats 6.04
4. Ash 2.40
Components Concentration (mg)
Dietary Fiber 6.7
Vitamin A 02
Vitamin B .591
Vitamin C 4.2
Vitamin E 1.19
Folate 82
Phosphorous 557
Potassium 508
Iron 7.61
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD PROPERTIES 265
segregation via the grinding process, due to the peculiar morphological form of the seed, the flour
should not be refined to any extent to maintain optimal nutritional profile. The researchers discovered
that the refinement of amaranth flour resulted in a significant reduction of protein and essential amino
acids; when the extracting rate reached 40% and the amount of protein in the flour was reduced to
roughly 4%, on contrary to the other pseudo-cereals like quinoa.
[22]
Utilization of amaranth
There are around 60 distinct species of amaranth, however, not all of them appear on daily menus.
Veggies and stews are made from the fronds of young A. blitum, A. tricolor, Red amaranth, A.spleen, A.
caudatus, & A.lucocarpus. Baked goods, pastries, biscuits, confectioneries, and broths are produced
from the grains of A.edulis, A. lucocarpus, Red amaranth, Green amaranth, and Amaranthus mante-
gazzianum, whereas Red root amaranth, Slender amaranth, & Spiny amaranth really aren’t suitable for
human or livestock utilization.
[23]
Red amaranth, A.lucocarpus, and A.edulis are sustenance crops. For
millennia, the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas have been using amaranth. The Amaranthaceae family
includes amaranth of perennial crops, which has approximately 70 species.
[24]
In Africa, amaranthus
fronds were utilized in veggies as well as cuisines, they are often suggested for diagnostic aims.
Amaranth is grown for its grains in Poland, which are then utilized to make desserts, enlarged kernels,
and loaves, pasta, flour & spaghetti. The cultivar of this plant species that is most frequently grown is
red amaranth. The genus Amaranthus has over 60 cultivars (National Academy of Sciences, 1984), the
majority are invasive species that are extensively distributed.
[25]
Due to the reason that they flourish on
disquiet soils and are often affiliated with agronomic techniques, overgrown amaranths are referred to
as “exploiters.” In several regions, wild amaranths are still used as a source of feed for animals, as
greens for human food, and as coloring plants. Even though the objective of this project is on grain
amaranth, the fronds of many grown varieties of Amaranth are widely consumed as a “potherb” or
foliage vegetable around the world. A clear distinction between a “grain” and a “vegetable” kind does
not exist.
[6]
If the fronds of amaranth crops raised for grain are utilized when the plants are younger,
they can be used as a food supply. The fronds of these few species growing predominantly in warm,
tropical areas are coveted. The species A. tricolor L. has various cultivars that are broadly distributed
and grown across all of Asia and the South Pacific.
[26]
In many parts of the Caribbean, the foliages of
A. dubius Mart. ex Thellung is regarded as a delicacy. In West Africa, a dark-seeded variety of
A. cruentus L. is widely farmed as a vegetable.
[27]
Amaranth is a plant that produces a lot of biomass
in a brief time. For domesticated animals, it can be utilized as a fodder crop. Amaranth has been
developed in China specifically for use as cattle fodder. During the growing season, many cuttings are
made. After the seed heads have been manually harvested in Peru, the Stover is milled or pulverized for
use as a feed additive. When cultivated under duress, several varieties of amaranth amass dangerous
quantities of oxalate and nitrate. More studies need to be conducted to characterize the feeding value,
any toxicity issues, and the best form of amaranth for fodder utilization. Amaranth’s seeds, oil, and
leaves are consumed as food and provides multiple health advantages.
[28]
This plant provides multiple
health advantages and used as an astringent. Saponins, proto-alkaloids, and betacyanins are thought to
be responsible for this impact. Amaranth has also been used to treat diarrhea, ulcers, and pharyngitis,
as per the PDR for Herbal Medicines. There have also been accounts of the herb being used to treat
heavy menstruation, acne, and dermatitis, and as a mouthwash for aching throats. The cardiac and
neurological pathways, hypoglycemia, antibacterial activity, and antioxidant activity of amaranth have
all been reported in many research journals. Amaranth is commonly utilized in the pharmaceutical
sector to make medicines for atherosclerotic issues, stomach problems, asthma, and antibacterial,
antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory treatments.
[29]
The seeds of Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. are
used as a spermatogenetic medication and booster in Unani medicine.
[30]
The seeds of Amaranthus
hypochondriacus L. are used as a spermatogenetic medication and booster in Unani medicine. Flowers
are used as a remedy for diarrhea, dysentery, bronchitis, and hemorrhages, and a decoction is utilized
for excessive menstrual periods. Amaranthus polygamous Wild is a spasmolytic, emmenagogue, and
266 M. SATTAR ET AL.
galactagogue factor. Linnaeus, Amaranthus spinosus is used to minimize excessive bleeding and
profuse vaginal discharge, and as a preventative measure.
[31]
However, this plant acts as a cooling
agent for urinary issues and can be applied externally as a lotion to alleviate pain during pregnancy and
treat skin diseases. Additionally, its roots, along with amla, and the bark of Ashok and Daru Haldi, are
utilized in addressing the condition of leucorrhea. Amaranth seeds have been utilized since the Incan,
Mayan, and Aztec Empires. This product was on the market as a food or food additive and was
consumed in considerable quantities before the first unique food rule took effect on May 15, 1997. As
a result, the Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 does not apply to its trade agreements. However,
in some Member States, other special regulations may limit the sale of this product as a food or food
additive.
[32]
Products of amaranth
The nutritive benefits of amaranth seeds are very high. The most important amaranth commodity is
grain, which is utilized as a flour resource in the baking sector. Amaranth flour is ideal for the creation
of nutritive food (gluten-free goods) for those who are hypersensitive to gluten owing to the absence of
gluten component.
[33]
Because of its high protein content, amaranth can be utilized singly or as a food
fortifier in cereal-based mixes. Amaranth seed oil is likewise increasingly prevalent. Amaranth oil is
too well for health benefits. Amaranth oil has the benefit of being highly inert. Amaranth oil
consumption lowers blood pressure, adjusts lipid profile, and has antioxidant and hepatoprotective
properties.
[34]
Since the population of people with celiac disease is rising, such high-quality products
are increasingly demanded. Flakes, flour, porridge, and oil are the most common products made from
amaranth seeds Because of its higher protein content, amaranth could be used individually or as a diet
fortifier in cereal grain mixes.
[35]
Amaranth has already been employed as a novel effective alternative
in the creation of functional cookies. The technique consists of partially replacing whole-wheat flour
with amaranth flour-based formulas.
[36]
The enriched cookies (made with amaranth flour) had better
nutritional content than ordinary wheat flour cookies. Amaranth seed oil is also incredibly popular,
which is high in unsaturated fats, tocopherols, and polyphenols, is an outstanding example of
functional food. Furthermore, due to their high amount of hydroxycinnamic acid, extracts derived
from amaranth throughout the vegetation stage and premature flowering can be a significant source of
antioxidants that can be utilized to make nutraceuticals or employed as a functional food ingredient
(Table 2). Amaranth seeds tend to turn out, to be a rich source of iron, the proportion of which can be
significant in treating anemia.
[37]
By-products of amaranth & their utilization
Several amaranth compositions are employed in the cosmetics sector due to their high nutritional
value. Unsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols, phytosterols, and squalene are abundant in amaranth oil.
These chemicals can help with hair and skin problems. All skin types can benefit from the usage of
amaranth seed oil.
[38]
It hydrates wonderfully, relieves irritations, speeds up the healing of wounds,
and has antibacterial characteristics. It has anti-aging and skin-nourishing properties. It helps to
Table 2. Bioactive compounds of AMRANTH and their functional and nutraceutical properties.
Amaranths’ Components Contents Benefits References
Polyphenols & Phenolic Acid 168 to 329 mg/kg High antioxidant activity
[40]
Squalene 620mg/kg Nutraceutical effects
[41–43]
Starch High swelling power or absorbance capacity, low
solubility, greater uptake, lower susceptibility to amylases.
[44]
Saponins 0.1% Low levels make it completely safe for human consumption
[45]
Fibers 4.2% Reduce cholesterol & promote gut health.
[23]
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD PROPERTIES 267
regenerate, nourish, and improve the epidermis while also acting as an antioxidant. Amaranth oil
shields hair from the damaging effects of sunshine and is an efficient approach to handling issues
related to greasy hair, nourishes hair, and prevents it from excessive hair loss because it is a natural,
rich source of tocopherols.
[39]
Pharmacological application
Hepatoprotective eects
Amaranth oil and plant extracts are thought to have hepatoprotective properties. The addition of amaranth
oil to the food balances lipid metabolism and protects the hepatic system. Amaranth oil significantly
modifies the physical-chemical characteristics of lipids and cell membranes in hepatic cells.
[28]
As
a consequence, it works as a hepatoprotective medication and stabilizes cell membranes. Squalene is well
recognized for its anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and cholesterol-regulating characteristics and aids
in the removal of toxins from the human body.
[46,47]
This liver-protective function is likely caused by
amaranth oil, which has been reported to contain a substantial amount of squalene.
[48,49]
Antioxidant potential
Sarker and Oba,
[49]
work characterized the phytochemical composition of Amaranthus gang-
eticus L. species. They particularly focused on the identification of phenolic compounds respon-
sible for the antioxidant activity of these plants. Twenty-five different phenolic compounds were
identified in the plant. Antioxidant components of A. gangeticus genotypes exhibited good
radical scavenging activities. In another study, the same authors presented chemical compounds
found in amaranth A. tricolor (betaxanthins, betalains) that exhibit antioxidant activity. Because
of their biological features, certain plant foods are recognized for their potential as functional or
health-promoting foods. These qualities are mostly conferred by biologically active peptides and
proteins. Some proteins and protein hydrolyzates have shown antioxidant action, with
a particular emphasis on antioxidant peptides containing hydrophobic amino acids such as
Leu, Ala, and Phe. Notably, antioxidant activities of amaranth protein fractions and alcalase
hydrolyzates are highlighted. These bioactive peptides and proteins, on the other hand, can
exhibit a wide range of activities (antioxidant, antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic, immunos-
timulant, and so on).
[50]
Hypolipidemic and antihyperglycemic ecacy
Research on the function of specific amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) proteins indicates that this plant
has hypocholesterolemic properties. Three-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase is a crucial
enzyme in the production of cholesterol, as demonstrated by Manolio Soares and colleagues. The
substantial squalene concentration of amaranth oil is linked to its hypolipidemic action.
[51]
Previous
studies indicate that an effective dietary supplement to ward against diabetic retinopathy may be made
from the fluid extract of heated red amaranth foliage. In a human lens, an epithelial cell line known as
HLE-B3, the antiglycation and anti-oxidative effect of extracts against high glucose-induced damage
was investigated.
[52]
Antidepressant and neuroprotective properties
The neuroprotective potential of A. lividus L. and A. tricolor L. extract against AGEs-induced
cytotoxic and oxidative stress was investigated. Neural cells experienced oxidative stress and
toxicity as a result of end-products of advanced glycation (AGEs). It was discovered that the
extracts under investigation shielded human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells from the cytotoxicity
268 M. SATTAR ET AL.
caused by AGEs. According to scientists, amaranth could help reduce the ongoing inflammatory
response connected to neurodegenerative diseases. The same authors described amaranth’s neu-
roprotective properties in another paper. In human neural immortalized SH-SY5Y cells, it was
discovered that the alcohol concentrations of A. lividus and A. tricolor leave reduced cell cyto-
toxicity and reactive oxygen species generation.
[53]
Antibacterial and antiviral impact
A new antimicrobial peptide with strong activity against E. coli was found in the medicinal plant
Amaranthus tricolor. This peptide was selected after analysis of the protein fraction from A. tricolor
and characterized as being highly antimicrobial. This research evaluated the bacteria Streptococcus
pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Candida albicans, Penicillium chrysogenum, Candida glabrata, and Penicillium aurantiogriseum were
the fungal isolates that were employed. In comparison to the fluid extract, the alcoholic extract of
amaranth had more antibacterial potential.
[54]
Additionally, the extracts demonstrated antimicrobial
properties with MICs between 0.675 and 10 mg/mL. De Vita and colleagues looked at a novel use of
amaranth seed oil as a weapon against Candida albicans. Amaranth oil has synergistic strong antimi-
crobial and fungistatic effects when combined with the antifungal medication terbinafine, and it may be
a crucial component of antimicrobial formulations.
[46]
In the next study, stem and seed methanol
extracts of A. lividus and A. hybridus were examined as antimicrobial factors. In vitro, the susceptibility
of five pathogenic bacteria (E. coli, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, S. typhi, S. aureus) was confirmed in the disk
diffusion assay. There have also been recent reports of the antiviral activity of amaranth. Amaranths’
Components and their pharmaceutical effects were presented in Table 3.
Conclusion
Amaranth’s attributes mix the qualities of a health-giving food and a basic material with medicinal
possibilities. As a result, all amaranth components could be used in the medicinal and food sectors as
natural substances. The high nutrient benefits and health-giving properties of amaranth should
encourage food makers to create new technically inventive food stuffs, particularly functional foods.
Furthermore, thorough investigations into the pharmacological activities of this plant are required.
This will enable the effective dose of this basic material to be determined, which may then be used in
the manufacture of medical remedies for the treatment of various ailments. Future studies should
focus on epidemiologic studies and the consolidation of action mechanisms, particularly in the human
body. However, studies should be carried out to determine the least amount of amaranth that should
be ingested via the diet to achieve the desired results. Nevertheless, due to the possible impacts of the
higher GI attributed to the highly digestible starch contained in both popped and extruded forms of
the grain, precaution has been advised.
Table 3. Amaranths’ Components and their pharmaceutical effects.
Pharmaceutical Effects Amaranths’ Components References
●Hepatoprotective Effects Squalene
[55]
●Antioxidant Potential Phenolic compounds
[56]
●Hypolipidemic & antihyperglicemic
Efficacy
Three-hydroxy-3 methylglutaryl-CoA reductase & fluid extract of heated
red amaranth foliage
[57,58]
●Antidepressant and neuroprotec-
tive Properties
Alcohol concentrations of A. lividus and A. tricolour leaves
[59]
●Antibacterial and antiviral impact Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Amaranthus caudatus
[60]
●Cardioprotective impact Amaranth’s oil
[61]
●Duodenal peptic ulcer protection Ethanolic and ethyl-acetate leaf extracts of A. tricolor
[62]
●Anticancer impacts Hexane, ethyl-acetate, and methanolic extracts of A. tristis Roxb
[63]
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD PROPERTIES 269
Future recommendations
Several benefits are associated with amaranth. As a result, it would be beneficial to develop a long-term
production approach for this plant, as well as a worldwide movement advocating the benefits of
amaranth for food manufacturers, beauty products and pharmaceutical firms, and nutritional supple-
ment manufacturers. It is also critical to encourage work that leads to the creation of emerging
innovations and to support research and development efforts that are represented in the food and
cosmetics produced by this plant. It will result in the speedy and effective monetization of these
innovations, as well as the launching of specific items to the market. Furthermore, deeper insights and
scientific studies on all types of biological actions of amaranth formulations on people’s well-being are
required.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
ORCID
Farhan Saeed http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5340-4015
Muhammad Afzaal http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9047-9075
Muzzamal Hussain http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6508-1962
Muhammad Ahtisham Raza http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5648-2825
Entessar Al Jbawi http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1804-1770
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available within the manuscript.
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… These confectioneries present a distinctive fusion of nutritional advantages and environmental sustainability, positioning them as a promising frontier for future exploration in research and development. Illuminating the trajectory of research in therapeutic bio-based baked confections entails delving into innovative ingredients, cutting-edge processing methodologies, and their potential implications on human health (Sattar et al., 2024;Singh & Sudha, 2024). By directing attention towards these realms, scholars can pave the path towards crafting more potent and enticing therapeutic baked delicacies that not only bolster personal well-being but also uphold principles of environmental preservation. …
… Amaranth is a less utilized crop but its acceptance as a grain and leafy vegetable is increasing, it is an abandoned crop species that has high possibility of forestalling malnutrition, obesity, disorders relating to diets, and unseen hunger (Pichop et al., 2014). Depending on their usage for human nutrition, amaranths can be classified as either grain or leafy/vegetable amaranths, both are food and vegetable crops that are very nutritious with incomparable health benefits (Adhikary et al., 2020;Prabha Adhikari et al., 2022;Moazma, et al., 2024). Amaranth contains high levels of protein, minerals and vitamins (Schafleitner et al., 2022). …
… Amaranth is a less utilized crop but its acceptance as a grain and leafy vegetable is increasing, it is an abandoned crop species that has high possibility of forestalling malnutrition, obesity, disorders relating to diets, and unseen hunger (Pichop et al., 2014). Depending on their usage for human nutrition, amaranths can be classified as either grain or leafy/vegetable amaranths, both are food and vegetable crops that are very nutritious with incomparable health benefits (Adhikary et al., 2020;Prabha Adhikari et al., 2022;Moazma, et al., 2024). Amaranth contains high levels of protein, minerals and vitamins (Schafleitner et al., 2022). …
… This is consistent with findings from Palombini et al. [27], who reported a content of 6.43%. Sattar et al. [32] and Baraniak et al. [33] reported a range of 6.04% to 7.7%, aligning with the range found in this study. In contrast, Nascimento et al. [34] reported a higher total fat value of 10.9%. …
