Amaranth Sprouts: A Potential Health Promoting and Nutritive Natural Food

Abstract

Amaranth sprouts are an edible food with good nutritional qualities and potential biological activities of their proteins. The chemical composition, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity and antioxidant activity of the sprouts were determined. Sprouts showed a protein content similar to the seeds’ on a dry basis (16%) and a high fiber content (17%). Amaranth sprout proteins presented a capacity to inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme activity similar to other plant proteins (IC50 = 0.9 ± 0.6 mg/mL). This capacity increased after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion (IC50 = 0.26 ± 0.07 mg/mL). Besides other non protein molecules, the amaranth sprout proteins also presented ABTS+. scavenging activity (TEAC = 0.32 ± 0.05 μmol/mg) that increased after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion (TEAC = 0.72 ± 0.08 μmol/mg) and oxygen radical antioxidant capacity. According to these results amaranth sprouts are a nutritive food with potential health promoting properties.