Amaranth

Amaranth, an underutilized crop, is a plant with a very important cultural and historic background on the American continent and worldwide, but most importantly, it is a resource that can help to solve the problems of feeding, undernourishment, and health. Several bioactive compounds have been described in amaranth seeds that may have a positive effect on health, indicating amaranth as a functional food. Amaranth oil extracted from seeds may be the most studied fraction for its effects on lipid metabolism. Moreover, the presence of phenolic metabolites has promoted the antioxidant claim of amaranth grain. The chapter focuses on research concerning amaranth proteins as a source of different bioactive peptides, which has sparked renewed interest in amaranth seeds as a source of high-quality food proteins for the prevention of chronic diseases. The most studied benefit of amaranth on health is its effect on lipid metabolism, particularly the improvement in blood lipids.