## 5 Potential Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of _Amaranthus_ Leaves  
The production of Staple food crop appears unable to meet up with the required food that feeds the increasing global population. Similarly, staple foods are inadequate in essential nutrients to optimize wellbeing [42]. Hence, there are increased studies on food that are easily grown, and are nutrient-dense in composition to tackle hunger, mitigate and alleviate food and nutrition insecurity [27]. _Amaranthus_-based food can be a contributor to food and nutrition security, especially among the less privileged, who are unable to access animal protein and other essential nutrient food sources like calciferous vegetables. This is because _Amaranthus_ leaves are reported as one of the plants rich in essential nutrients among other traditional vegetables, of great importance, besides its use for religious practices in the place of its origin [4, 43]. _Amaranthus_ has been known to have relatively high nutritional value compared to exotic vegetables that are mostly preferred. However, it has been established that the contribution of the micronutrient status of _Amaranthus_ depends upon their retention capacity of the nutrients after processing and cooking methods [44]. _Amaranthus_ leaves are rich in protein and micronutrients such as zinc, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid, potassium, iron, and vitamins A-C but low in carbohydrates [3, 45]. _Amaranthus_ leaves are low in calories. Consequently, they must be complemented with foods rich in calories. _Amaranthus_ is cholesterol-free, making it a food option for those on strict diet prescription, such as weight losing formulation. A study confirms that the nutrient content per 100g fresh weight of _Amaranthus_ was compared to cabbage and was reported higher in protein, calcium, iron, \(\beta\)-carotene, and vitamin C [3]. Likewise, lettuce was compared with _Amaranthus_, and _Amaranthus_ showed a higher nutritional content of 7 times more iron, 13 times more vitamin C, 18 times more vitamin A, and 20 times more calcium than other similar plants [43]. Since _Amaranthus_ yields significantly within the shortest period, it could be a promising crop to tackle food security and food and nutrition insecurity [46]. Additionally, _Amaranthus_ leaves are rich in antioxidants and phytonutrient properties. Thus, they are endowed with an essential dietary nutrient that could be explored as a preventive measure and healing effects to the essential nutrient-deficient individual [47]. The common names of Amaranthus in South Africa and other countries are described in Table 2.  
_Amaranthus_ has been demonstrated to have medicinal effects in traditional medicine [13]. For instance, the dried _Amaranthus_ crop has been burned in Benin for the preparation of potash. Similarly, the root of _Amaranthus_ has been boiled with honey in Senegal and was used as a laxative for infants. The water of macerated _Amaranthus_ plants has been used in Ghana as a wash to treat pains in the limbs. Ethiopia have used _A.cruentus_ as a tapeworm expellant [48]. The ash from _Amaranthus_ stems has been used for wound dressing in Sudan, also in Gabon. Moreover, _Amaranthus_ has been suggested to assist people with low red blood cell count [27, 48]. The leaves of _Amaranthus_ have medicinal properties that are beneficial to the health of young children, lactating mothers, and patients with constipation, fever, hemorrhage, anemia, or kidney complaints. Amaranth is rather included among the diuretics (substances that promote increased urine production) [48]. _Amaranthus_ leaves have been used as anti-inflammatory [48]. The ability of _Amaranthus_ vegetables to promote health benefits is largely attributed to the nutritional and bioactive compounds endowed in _Amaranthus_. For instance, studies on _Amaranthus_ ispinosus_ have been investigated, and a wide and spectrum of its pharmacological actions have been explored [41].