Amaranthus thunbergii
Life
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Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
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Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
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> Core Eudicots
> Order: Caryophyllales > Family:
Amaranthaceae > Subfamily: Amaranthoideae >
Amaranthus
An annual herb native to southern Africa, where is is found
throughout the region and is eaten as a leafy vegetable. In Setswana and Sesotho
languages, the aerial parts of plants that are eaten as green leafy
vegetables are referred to as morogo and Amaranthus thunbergii is one of these.
Nutritional value
Van der Walt et al. (2009) found that there were
higher levels of calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc in Amaranthus thunbergii
than those recorded from spinach
and Swiss chard whereas selenium levels were
lower than in the latter two vegetables. Carotenoids levels are reasonably high and similar to those found in
spinach. Carotenoids are transformed into vitamin A in the body and hence are
nutritionally important. Polyphenols concentrations found in Amaranthus
thunbergii are similar to those in commercially grown vegetables. The latter
substances are important antioxidants and help to prevent thickening of the
arteries (atherogenesis).
Hence, Amaranthus thunbergii, along with
Amaranthus hybridus, is
a nutritious leafy vegetable, and is especially valuable to resource poor
households in rural and peri-urban areas in southern Africa.
Publications
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van der Walt, A.M., Loots, D.T., Ibrahim, M.I.M. and
Bezuidenhout, C.C. 2009. Minerals, trace elements and antioxidant
phytochemicals in wild African dark-green leafy vegetables (morogo).
South African Journal of Science 105: 444-448.
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