## 3 _Amaranthus_ a Food Solution for Food and Nutrition Insecurity  
There has been global progress in reducing nutrient-related challenges, especially in developing countries [32]. However, the difficulties that seem to hinder this achievement still include hunger, climate change malnutrition, including rural poverty, and lack of nutrition education, which affects the nutrition security of many populations, as many are unable to make wise choices of the available nutrient-dense food ingredient option that can enhance the inadequacies in most staple crops [33]. Vegetables, including _Amaranthus_, have been identified as active ingredients that can contribute to the food supply of human essential dietary needs that can tackle hidden hunger issues. Although varieties of exotic vegetables like kale and collard greens, linked with high status, have been investigated as food solutions to nutrition security, they are inaccessible to the common man. Across the literature, _Amaranthus_ is often linked with poverty. Hence, people do not want to be identified with poverty even though they may be poor [4]. Such individuals lack the education that traditional vegetables, including _Amaranthus_ variety, are being promoted as a promising plant with essential minerals and vitamins, nutraceutical, and phytochemicals properties [3; 31]. Though the exotic vegetables appear to provide a sustainable measure for improving global food availability and food and nutrition security, little attention is shown to vegetables that are considered \"lost crops\", including _Amaranthus_[34]. Generally, several agricultural researchers and nutritional experts argue that vegetables, including _Amaranthus_, are endowed with essential nutrients yet to be exploited. For example, _Amaranthus_ is currently ascribed worth as a superfood. Therefore, exploring traditional varieties of vegetables like _Amaranthus_ for food and nutrition security cannot be overemphasized because, the nutritional needs of humans could be met via its inclusion in staple foods, which is a cheaper solution to preventable food-related health challenges incapacitating the human potentials. It is believed that _Amaranthus_ is not a true cereal, like wheat, sorghum, millet, maize, or barley, but, somewhat, it is considered as \"pseudo-cereal\" like the buckwheat crop [4; 15]. Pseudo-cereal is one of the non-grass plant's crops that have been used, like any other true cereals belonging to the grass family. Hence, _Amaranthus_ seeds can be grounded into flour and can be used in baking varieties of food products, especially snacks. Although _Amaranthus_ are commonly known as pigweed, it is a unique plant that grows on its own. Hence, they are broadly cultivated world-wide for many reasons of interest, including industrial, medicinal, ornamental, fodder, and nutrition purposes. _Amaranthus_ is considered a multipurpose plant since it has proved its worth in supplying cereal grains and leaky vegetables of high essential nutritional value for animals and human nutrition. The essential nutrients found in _Amaranthus_ include protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, and K, riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), vitamin B6, and folate (B9). Several studies attest that _Amaranthus_ benefits are enormous and undeniable. Therefore, a regular diet plan can help combat nutrient-related health issues; malnutrition and especially micronutrient deficiency challenges [9; 27; 35]. However, _Amaranthus_ is a common crop that has been given little attention in research, though it is identified as a promising plant capable of combating most of the human nutrient deficiency challenges. Interestingly, _Amaranthus_ supplies nutraceutical and phytochemical properties and other dietary needs of humans, though _Amaranthus_ has been identified as low in calories, which can be a good option for weight loss. _Amaranthus_, being one of the superfoods plants, the leaves have been accessible in fresh form, but the powdered form of it is still scarce.