A comparison of the fatty acids and sterols of seeds of weedy and vegetable species ofAmaranthus spp.

The seeds of weedy and vegetable species ofAmaranthus were analyzed for sterols and fatty acids. The major sterol was spinasterol, which ranged from 46 to 54% by weight of the total sterol mixture. Δ−7 stigmasterol occurred in the next higher amount with lesser amounts of Δ−7 ergosterol, stigmasterol and 24‐methylene‐cycloartenol. There was little difference in the sterol composition of the vegetable species compared to the weedy species. The fatty acid compositions of the species were essentially all the same. Linoleic acid was present in the greatest amount, with lesser amounts of oleic, palmitic, stearic, myristic, linolenic, arachidic and lignoceric acids.