Protein, dietary fiber, minerals, antioxidant pigments and phytochemicals, and antioxidant activity in selected red morph Amaranthus leafy vegetable

Amaranth has two morphological types (morphs), one is red and another is green morph. Red morph amaranth is a marvelous source of nutrients, antioxidant pigments, minerals, and phytochemicals compared to green morph amaranth. For this purpose, we selected 25 red morph genotypes to evaluate in terms of proximate, minerals, antioxidant pigments and phytochemicals and antioxidant activity in RCBD design in three replicates. The leaves of red morph amaranth are an excellent source of dietary fiber, carbohydrates, moisture, and protein. We found remarkable potassium, calcium, magnesium (24.96, 10.13, 30.01 mg g(-1)), iron, manganese, copper, zinc (1089.19, 243.59, 25.77, 986.61 mu g g(-1)), chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b (31.79, 16.05 mg 100 g(-1)), beta-cyanins, total flavonoids (102.10 RE mu g g(-1) DW), beta-xanthins, betalains (33.30, 33.09, 66.40 mu g 100 g(-1)), carotenoids, total phenolics (172.23 GAE mu g g(-1) DW), beta-carotene (1225.94, 1043.18 mu g g(-1)), vitamin C (955.19 mu g g(-1)), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS+) (19.97 and 39.09 TEAC mu g g(-1) DW) in the red morph amaranth leaves. We can select the genotype RA5, RA8, RA18, RA22, and RA25 as antioxidantenriched red morph amaranth. It revealed that amaranth beta-cyanins, phenolics, betalains, flavonoids, beta-xanthins, carotenoids, vitamin C, and beta-carotene had strong antioxidant activity. These phytochemicals contributed significantly in the antioxidant potentials of red morphs amaranth. Red morph amaranth could be a potential source of nutrients, antioxidant pigments, minerals, and phytochemicals as these compounds scavenged ROS and served as potential antioxidants in our daily diet to attaining nutritional and antioxidant sufficiency.