Amaranth is one plant that needs more research attention and can be used for providing more nutrition to the body, that can beat malnutrition in the long run. The increasing food requirements can be met with amaranth, the nutritious grain.

1. Global nutritious grain
AMARANTH
Chemistry & Therapeutic studies

2. Presented by
Dr. Sudhakar Kokate
Director PPRC, India

5. Amaranth : “Food of the Gods”
Ф Cultivated globally as early as 4000 B.C.
Ф Rediscovered as a useful & promising
plant
Ф Interesting & sufficient food against
malnutrition
PPRC/INDIA 03

6. Ф Family: Amaranthaceae
Ф Order: Caryophyllales
Ф Genera: 60
Ф Species: 800
Ф Annual or perennial herbaceous plant
PPRC/INDIA 04

7. Ф Origin: South East Asia
Ф Distribution: Tropical, sub-tropical &
temperate regions as:
- grain crops
- potherbs
- ornaments
- dye plants
PPRC/INDIA 05

8. Ф Hard, wild, fast-growing cereal like
plant
Ф Species for food:
- A. hypochondriacus L.
- A. caudatus L.
- A. cruentus L.
PPRC/INDIA 06

9. A. hypochondriacus L.
PPRC/INDIA 07

11. A. caudatus L.
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13. A. cruentus L.
PPRC/INDIA 11

15. Ф Growth period: 60 – 160 d
Ф Depending upon temperature, climate
Ф Grows in adverse environmental
conditions such as draught, high temp.,
saline soils
PPRC/INDIA 13

16. Ф Grows in dry land conditions
Ф Multiple uses in:
- food - green manure
- forage - animal food
- silage
PPRC/INDIA 14

17. AMARANTH leaves
PPRC/INDIA 15

19. Ф Green nutritious vegetable
Ф Use globally including many developed
countries
Ф Flavour is better than that of spinach
Ф Lower nitrate content
PPRC/INDIA 17

20. Ф Higher level of fibre and ash
Ф High calcium, niacin & vitamin C
Ф Higher level of protein & essential
amino acids
PPRC/INDIA 18

21. Nutritional value of
AMARANTH leaves
PPRC/INDIA 19

22. Sr.
no.
Component Composition
1 Dry matter g 13.1
2 Protein g 3.5
3 Fat g 0.5
4 Carbohydrate g 6.5
PPRC/INDIA 20

23. Sr.
no.
Component Composition
5 Fibre g 1.3
6 Ash g 2.6
7 Calcium mg 267
8 Phosphorus mg 67
PPRC/INDIA 21

24. Sr.
no.
Component Composition
9 Iron mg 3.9
10 Sodium mg -
11 Potassium mg 411
12 Vitamin C mg 80
PPRC/INDIA 22

25. Sr.
no.
Component Composition
13 Vitamin A IU 6100
14 Thiamine mg 0.08
15 Riboflavin mg 0.16
16 Niacin mg 1.4
For 100 g of edible part
PPRC/INDIA 23

26. Essential amino acids
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27. Sr. no. Amino acid
1 Lysine
2 Threonine
3 Valine
4 Iso-leucine
5 Leonine
6 Tyrosine + Phenylalanine
7 Cystine + Methonine
PPRC/INDIA 25

28. AMARANTH seeds
PPRC/INDIA 26

30. Ф Small, inticular in shape
Ф Avg. diam. 1 – 1.5 mm
Ф Avg. wt. 0.6 – 1.2 mg
Ф Colour white to brown
Ф A nutritive source of food
PPRC/INDIA 28

31. Ф Protein high 13 – 19 %
Ф High level of essential amino acids
Ф Lysine content 5.8 g / 100 g protein
Ф Oil content 1.5 – 3 times higher than in
other grains
PPRC/INDIA 29

32. Ф Cholesterol lowering properties
Ф Fibre content 3 times higher than that
of wheat
Ф High content of Ca, Fe & Vits. Minerals
Ф High levels of non-fermentable fibres
PPRC/INDIA 30

33. Ф Highly concentrated fibres in A. seeds
Ф High levels of fibres
Ф Seeds may reduce serum cholesterol &
high density linoprotein L.D.
PPRC/INDIA 31

34. Ф Experiments suggest that amaranth and
oat bran significantly decreased the level
of total cholesterol in rat blood serum
by 10.7 – 14 % & in liver by 20 – 23 %
PPRC/INDIA 32

35. Chemical composition (%)
of AMARANTH seeds
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36. Component A. caudatus
A.
hypochondriatus
A. cruentus
Moisture 11.8 12.7 12.6
Crude protein 12.6 14.6 15.3
Crude ether
ext.
12.0 14.1 11.4
Astt. 2.8 3.6 3.1
Carbohydrates 59.7 59.8 58.4
PPRC/INDIA 34

37. Mineral content* of
AMARANTH seeds
PPRC/INDIA 35

38. Sr. no. Minerals Quantity range
1 Phosphorus 518 – 597
2 Potassium 493 – 571
3 Calcium 201 – 246
4 Magnesium 270 – 396
5 Sodium 19 – 24
PPRC/INDIA 36

39. Sr. no. Minerals Quantity range
6 Iron 15 – 28
7 Copper 0.85 – 0.87
8 Manganese 2.56 – 3.39
9 Zinc 3.40 – 3.49
* mg / 100 g
PPRC/INDIA 37

40. Sterols of
AMARANTH seeds
PPRC/INDIA 38

41. Sr. no. Compounds Conc. %
1 Campesterol 1.6
2 Stigmasterol 0.9
3 D7 campesterol 24.8
4 Cholesterol 12.0
PPRC/INDIA 39

42. Sr. no. Compounds Conc. %
5 β-sitosterol 1.3
6 Δ5 avenasterol 2.0
7 Δ7 stigmastenol 15.2
8 Δ5 avenastenol 11.9
PPRC/INDIA 40

43. AMARANTH oil
PPRC/INDIA 41

45. Research….
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46. Ф Experiments suggest that the total lipid
and cholesterol content of eggs
produced by chicken, fed on raw
amaranth grain was reduced by 20.7 &
14.3 %
PPRC/INDIA 44

47. Ф Total dietary fibre – 14.2 %
Ф Soluble dietary fibres – 40 % of above
content
PPRC/INDIA 45

48. Uses….
PPRC/INDIA 46

49. Ф Forage
Ф Silage
Ф Green manure
Ф Animal feed
PPRC/INDIA 47

50. Ф Fresh leaves as salad or steamed
Ф boiled
Ф stir fried, sautéed
Ф baked
Ф pickled
PPRC/INDIA 48

51. Ф A. seeds – modern food ingredient in
bread, cookies, pastas, etc.
Ф Infant and weaning foods
Ф Reports say that Mexico exported
Amaranth seeds to other countries
PPRC/INDIA 49

52. Ф In earlier days, Amaranth was
considered as the most nutritious grain
crop but now has attracted less
attention
Ф Fights malnutrition
PPRC/INDIA 50

53. Thank you !!