**4. Functional and health benefit offered by pseudocereal**

Approximately 80% of the human diet is composed of cereals such as corn, wheat, and rice. These grains are biofortified in order to boost vitamin and other essential micronutrient levels. However, pseudocereals, which are naturally enriched with a lot of essential micronutrients and nutraceutical ingredients, are not well utilized for its functional and health benefits to the human.

Pseudocereals are a novelty in human diets as they are gluten-free (GF) grains with a high nutritional and nutraceutical value. Additionally, recent research suggests that pseudo cereals may have health benefits, placing these crops in the role of important resources for the development of functional foods [4]. Protein quality and quantity in pseudo cereals are considerably superior to cereal quality and quantity, so they can be considered functional foods. In addition to amino acids such as arginine, tryptophan, lysine, and histidine, pseudocereals are rich in essential amino acids for infant and child nutrition, rendering them useful as food supplements. Protein nutritional quality can be measured using several parameters including protein efficiency ratio (PER) or net protein use (NPU), digestibility and bioavailability of protein, and availability of lysine. Pseudo cereal protein levels are thus larger than cereal protein levels and comparable to casein levels. Proteins of pseudo cereals are similar to those of legumes, since they have 2S albumin, 11S globulin, and 7S globulin. Furthermore, pseudocereal proteins are acceptable for celiac disease patients due to their low prolamine level [49].

Buckwheat is gaining popularity as a potential functional food due to its healthpromoting components such as phenolic compounds and sterols. It is a good source of protein, dietary fiber, fat, and minerals [50]. Foods that give specific health benefits (health claims) exceeding their nutritional worth are referred to as functional foods, although their intake is not required for humankind [51]. Several biological and health benefits can be attributed to the consumption of buckwheat and

#### *Rheological Stability, Enzyme Activity, and Incorporation of Pseudocereal Powder… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101890*

buckwheat products, including hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. These health benefits are said to be, at least in part, attributed to buckwheat proteins and phenolic compounds [52]. Some of these health advantages may be due to the antioxidant activity of these compounds, but recently identified mechanisms of action may also be related [53, 54]. Despite pseudocereals' composition and properties, there are still relatively little *in vivo* studies and limited human trials supporting its functional benefit. Most studies have linked consumption of pseudocereals or their bioactive components to a protective effect against obesity, prediabetes, and diabetes complications. Thus, the rat plasma ghrelin levels were reduced while postprandial leptin and cholecystokinin levels increased after consuming amaranth-protein-based diets [55]. Amaranth protein also modulates the microbiota composition of mice with obesity induced by diet [56]. In addition, a streptozotocin-induced diabetes model revealed that amaranth protein improved glucose tolerance and boosted plasma insulin levels [57]. In Wistar rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats, protein hydrolyzates showed significant antithrombotic effects [58] and antihypertensive [59].

For 6 weeks, rats fed with high-fat diet showed a lowering of cholesterol and a reduction of inflammation caused by tartary buckwheat protein, as well as changes in the animals' microbiota [60]. In obese diabetic mice [61] and Wistar rats [62], quinoa intake prevented hyperglycemia, decreased total cholesterol, and decreased LDL cholesterol. Recent research has demonstrated that quinoa can also modulate inflammatory biomarkers in the liver as well as dwindle hepatic steatosis and cholesterol accumulation. Furthermore, there has been evidence that quinoa phytoecdysteroidenriched extracts reduce adipose tissue, regulate gene expressions involved in fat storage, and attenuate inflammation and insulin resistance in a mouse model with diet-induced obesity [63]. The scientists also found an increase in glucose oxidation and fecal lipid discharge without influencing stool sizes, in addition to an increase in energy expenditure without modifying food consumption or activity [64].

Until recently, there have been relatively few human studies evaluating the benefits of pseudocereals. Ruales et al. [65] mentioned that two times a day administration of 100g of quinoa to 50–65-month-old boys living in low-income Ecuador increases plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Therefore, quinoa-enriched baby food is able to prevent child malnutrition by providing sufficient protein and other essential nutrients. Additionally, supplementation of the diet with quinoa has shown to impact cardiovascular and metabolic parameters in both healthy [66] and overweight and obese people [53, 67, 68].

#### **5. Conclusions**

Various fields of study are currently being conducted, from its functional and rheological properties as well as enzyme immobilization and its application. Pseudocereal is suitable for use in a wide variety of food applications since it is packed with nutrients, consists of promising health benefits promoter, and is a source of energy. Furthermore, ongoing research into rheological modification of resistant starch could offer a number of possibilities and make it a possible source for use in the food sector, resulting in a substantial impact on food sustainability. Although research on the substances obtained from pseudocereal could be conducted, safety factors should be addressed in order to develop health-related food products.
