Quinoa and Amaranth as Functional Foods: A Review
Davi Schmidt, Marta Regina Verruma-Bernardi, Victor Augusto Forti, Maria Teresa Mendes Ribeiro Borges
Abstract
The increasing demand for healthier and functional diets has rescued traditional foods, such as quinoa and amaranth. These plants are pseudocereals that were very important for ancient civilizations. Their nutritional quality is higher than many cereals that make up the modern diet so they are gaining great prominence in the markets. Quinoa has high levels of protein, ascorbic acid and minerals, such as phosphorus and potassium. Amaranth is also a good source of protein and has high levels of lysine and sulphur amino acids. Encouraging the cultivation of these pseudocereals by small and medium-sized farmers represents an interesting strategy to promote food security in developing countries, since they adapt easily to different environmental conditions. This article presents a review of the literature on quinoa and amaranth, highlighting their morphological, agronomic, nutritional and socioeconomic aspects and their importance as functional foods, as well as their uses in animal and human nutrition. The information provided in this review will benefit the scientific communities and researchers working with nutrition, functional diets, traditional foods and beyond.