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Which Caryophyllales plants are important food crops?

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Caryophyllales Pink carnation flowers (*Dianthus caryophyllus*).

The order Caryophyllales is a significant source of various food crops, many of which belong to the family Amaranthaceae.12

Important food crops within this order include:

Beets and related crops: Various forms of Beta vulgaris, including garden beets, sugar beets, chard, and mangel-wurzel.13
Leafy greens: Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and lamb’s quarters (Chenopodium album).13
Pseudo-grains: High-protein crops such as quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), red amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus), and love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus).1
Other crops: Rhubarb, which is also recognized as an important food plant within the order.2

These plants are valued for their nutritional content, with some, such as quinoa, gaining significant global popularity as health foods in the 21st century.1