Grain Amaranthus - a boon

It is important to note that one fifth of the world''s population comprises of adolescents and 87 percent of them live in developing countries and half of them are poor. The adolescents of today are said to be ¿the largest ever generation in human history¿.Hence, adolescents as a group merit special attention not only in view of sheer numbers but also of vulnerable age.While on one hand there are problems of over - consumption leading to obesity and its resultant complications, on the other hand problems of under consumption are leading to dietary inadequacies and micro and macro nutrient deficiency disorders. These dietary imbalances coupled with other hiatuses of the technology such as greater affluence, rapid urbanization, unhealthy lifestyle patterns, reduction in the daily physical activity, work related stress, increased alcoholic and tobacco consumption have led to the development of diet related chronic degenerative disorders. Grain amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L.) an underutilized plant has recently gained attention as a supplementary food crop with a potential for the future.