Exploring the potentials of underutilized grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) along the value chain for food and nutrition security: A review

Figures & data

Table 1. The qualitative morphological features of some species of Amaranthus.

Plant species	Color of stem	Color of leaves	Color of the root	Color of inflorescence	Shape of leave	Presence of spines	Arrangement of leave on stem	Seed color	Source
A. hybridus	Green	Green	Brown	Green	Ovate	Absent	Alternate	N.D	Alege and Daudu (2014)
	Purple/Green	N.D	N.D	Green	N.D	N.D	N.D	Cream	Akin-Idowu et al. (2016)
A.caudatus	Purple & Green	Purple & Green	Purple	Purple	Ovate	Absent	Alternate	N.D	Alege and Daudu
	Pink base & green mid-stem to tip	N.D	N.D	Green	N.D	N.D	N.D	Cream/ black/Pink	Akin-Idowu et al. (2016)
	N.D	N.D	N.D	N.D	ovate to rhomboid	N.D	N.D	reddish to dark brown	Grubben (2004)
A. viridis	Green	Green	Brown	Green	Obovate	Absent	Alternate	N.D	Alege and Daudu (2014)
A.spinosus	Green	Green	Brown	Green	Obovate	Present	Alternate	N.D	Alege and Daudu (2014)
A. dubius	Purple	Green	Purple	Green	Obovate	Absent	Alternate	N.D	Alege and Daudu (2014)
A. cruentus	N.D	N.D	N.D	Green/ Pink/	N.D	N.D	N.D	Cream	Akin-Idowu et al. (2016)
	N.D	Green/purple	N.D	N.D	N.D	N.D	N.D	yellowish white to pale brown	Grubben (2004)
A.hybrid	Pink	N.D	N.D	Green, wine	N.D	N.D	N.D	Cream, Black, cream and black	Akin-Idowu et al. (2016)
A. hypochondriacus	Green/Pink	N.D	N.D	Green/Wine	N.D	N.D	N.D	Cream/Gold	Akin-Idowu et al. (2016)
	N.D	N.D	N.D	N.D	ovate to rhomboid	N.D	N.D	creamy white to gold	Grubben (2004)

ND: Not determined.

Table 2. Nutritional composition of grain amaranth and other cereals.

Nutrients (%)	Amaranth	Millet	Sorghum	Rice	Wheat	Corn
Moisture	11.29	8.67	12.4	N.D	N.D	10.21
Protein	13.56	11.02	10.62	6.67	10.91	9.42
Lipid	7.2	4.2	3.46	2.22	1.82	4.74
Ash	2.88	3.25	N.D	N.D	N.D	N.D
Carbohydrate	65.25	72.85	72.09	75.56	80	74.26
Fiber	6.7	8.5	6.7	2.2	2.2	N.D
Energy (kcal/100g)	371	375	329	356	364	365
Mineral (mg/100 g)	Amaranth	Millet	Sorghum	Rice	Wheat	Corn
Iron	7.61	3.01	3.30	1.11	3.27	2.17
Zinc	287	1.68	1.67	N.D	2.73	2.21
Magnesium	248	114	165	N.D	109	127
Manganese	3.3	1.6	N.D	N.D	N.D	N.D
Potassium	508	198	363	202	400	287
Calcium	159	8.0	13	4	36	7

N.D: not determined.

Source: Gebhardt et al. 2008.

Figure 1. Framework for actions and actors needed to develop grain amaranth value chain for improved food and nutrition security.

Alege, G. O., and S. M. Daudu. 2014. A comparative foliar epidermal and morphological study of five species of the genus Amaranthus. European Journal of Experimental Biology 4 (4):1–8.

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Grubben, G. J. H. 2004. Amaranthus tricolor L. In PROTA 2: Vegetables/Légumes, ed. G. J. H. Grubben and O. A. Denton. Wageningen, Netherlands: PROTA.

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Grubben, G. J. H., and O. A. Denton. 2004. Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. Leiden, Netherlands: Backhuys Publishers.

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Gebhardt, S., L.Lemar, D.Haytowitz, P.Pehrsson, M.Nickle, B.Showell, R.Thomas, J.Exler, and J.Holden. 2008. USDA national nutrient database for standard reference, release 21. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service.

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