Nutritional Composition of Six Amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus) Andean Varieties

Abstract

Amaranthus caudatus is a nutrient-rich Andean pseudocereal with wide genetic variability. Six productive varieties (Oscar Blanco, Pucara, Tomina, Cotahuasi, Barbechos, and Guindo Criollo) were compared by proximate, mineral, and fatty acid composition. The proximal content showed certain singularities in the varieties. Barbechos and Guindo Criollo stood out for their fat content (9.50% and 9.01%, respectively), while Tomina stood out for their carbohydrate content (72.6%), and Pucara and Oscar Blanco for their fiber content (4.59% and 4.48%, respectively). The mineral content presented differences, highlighting the Ca content for Pucara (108 mg/100 g), and Tomina with micro-minerals (Zn, Mn, Fe, and Cu, 4.67, 5.90, 9.13 and 1.03 mg/100 g, respectively). All varieties showed high tricosanic acid (C23:0) content, and Cotahuasi was highlighted for its high linoleic acid (C18:2) content. Multivariate analysis showed negative correlations between proteins and carbohydrates, and between fat and fiber in their proximal content, as well as between Fe and Na for their mineral content, and C18:1 and C18:2 for the fatty acids. Although certain differences were found, the total nutritional composition tended to have minor differences between the investigated varieties.