ABSTRACT
The growth in world population coupled with the overdependence on cereal crops for industrial application has led to the search for alternative grain or crop that could be used in human nutrition as a carbon source of energy. Amaranth, a pseudo-cereal crop is cultivated mainly for its use as a vegetable, however, its grains possess a high nutritional value in comparison with cereal grains. The nutritional benefits of grain amaranth include high quality protein, fat, minerals, dietary fiber as well as carbohydrate. Amaranth is usually consumed as a leafy vegetable; however, its grains are sometimes processed into varieties of products using several processing techniques before consumption. Owing to its unique properties, it is usually used in the formulation of food products for people suffering from celiac disease, an immune-mediated disorder in which an individual suffers from the ingestion of gluten. Apart from its use as a gluten-free food, it had also been utilized as cereal substitute in countries with comparative disadvantage in the production of wheat, barley, and other cereal crops. Apart from its utilization as functional food ingredient, its high starch yield makes it a suitable raw material in the production of starch. The isolated starch could serve as a promising in the management of degenerative diseases, production of biodegradable film, as well as nanotechnology. This chapter aims to look the progress made in the processing of grain amaranth, its starch, health benefits, and its application as food, food ingredients, and nonfood applications.
