EVALUATION OF THE NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF AMARANTH AND CHIA SEEDS

Abstract

Both types of seeds, of high nutritional value were well known as part of Aztec diet. There is evidence that Amaranth seeds were found in the caves of Tehuacan Puebla in Mexico, an early agricultural site, dating from around 4000 BC, while chia seed seems to have been used as food as early as 3500 BC, and was cultivated in the Central Valley of Mexico between 2000 and 2600 BC by the Teotihuacan and Toltecs, Amaranth is present also at the archeological sites in Southeast Asia and China, some of the seeds of Amaranth were found in Uttar Pradesh and are dated back to 1000 BC. Being banned by the conquistadores upon their conquest of the Aztec the plant has grown in USA as a weed since then and started to be studied and cultivated only in the 1970s and by the end of 1970s, a few thousand acres started to be cultivated, Opposite to that India is considering Amaranth the seed sent by God (ramdana). Despite their obscurity, both seeds can contribute for feeding the world's hungry and are recommended for their nutritional value and health benefits: decreasing plasma cholesterol levels (amaranth), protecting the heart (chia and amaranth), anti-cancer activity (chia and amaranth), improving conditions of hypertension (chia and amaranth), anti-allergic (amaranth) and anti-oxidant properties (chia and amaranth), reducing blood sugar (chia) and offering high quantities of calcium, phosphorus and manganese (chia).