ABSTRACT
In recent years, people have become more health conscious, and consequently, the demand for the development of healthier foods is also increasing day by day. Consumers are demanding foods that not only provide them with essential nutrients, but which can also help to overcome lifestyle-related diseases and deficiency disorders. Currently, cereals such as wheat and rice are utilized as primary food sources to fulfill the body's demand for energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients. However, economic constraints make them non-affordable for the poor people/regions of the world. To overcome this hurdle, pseudocereals could be a promising alternative to these true cereals. They have an excellent nutritional profile and are a rich source of nutrients, as well as vitamins and minerals, with a low glycemic index. The mineral content of these pseudocereals is higher than in some cereal grains and, hence, their consumption could help to combat micronutrient deficiencies like anemia, iodine deficiency disorder, and zinc deficiency. However, the presence of anti-nutritional compounds (phytates, tannic acid, oxalates) can lower mineral bioavailability which can be mitigated using different processing methods, like cooking, soaking, boiling, and many more. This chapter discusses the fundamental minerals present in various types of pseudocereals such as buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa, along with the health benefits associated with their consumption. Furthermore, this chapter provides an overview of the anti-nutritional factors found in pseudocereals and the challenges related to the bioavailability of minerals. The application of various processing methods for reducing the anti-nutritional factors and improving the bioavailability of minerals are also briefly outlined.
