The small, gluten-free “pseudocereal” known as amaranth is definitely worth your attention if you’re wanting to increase your consumption of whole grains beyond the typical suspects (wheat, rice, and maize). This ancient grain known worldwide is regarded as a powerhouse superfood that is packed with essential nutrition and it is feed the globe. In this article we will cover the history, nutritional value, and health benefits.

Rice is fantastic when you’re extremely hungry and want to eat 2,000 of anything, as the late comic Mitch Hedberg said. He may have changed the joke to “Amaranth is fantastic when you’re extremely hungry and want to eat 100,000 of anything” if he had known about this little basic food. Amaranth is approximately the size of a poppy seed. Amaranth is not just another fly by night ingredient; it has a potent nutritional profile, a unique, nutty taste, and gorgeous growth that is ready to make a comeback to your daily life.

Amaranth is a gluten-free pseudocereal that belongs to the same broad group of “ancient grains” like quinoa, millet, and farro. Amaranth is simple to make and very adaptable to recipes, acting as the foundation for both savory and sweet meals, so it may end up being a mainstay in your kitchen as well.

If you’ve never tried amaranth, you might be curious about how it tastes, how to cook it, what type of nutritional advantages it offers, and whether eating amaranth has any negative consequences. So, let’s examine this potent complete food that has been used by humanity for the past 7000 year.

History of Amaranth?

Amaranth is a collection of more than 60 different kinds of species that people have been cultivating for nearly 8,000 years! The majority of these species are indigenous to Central and South America, where the Incan, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations historically used them as staple crops. Particularly the Aztecs revered the amaranth plant and offered religious sacrifices of not just the seeds but also statues of their gods fashioned of amaranth dough and honey.

As a result, Spanish conquistadors outlawed the growing of amaranth because they believed it to be a barrier to the spread of Catholicism across the Americas. Native farmers, however, resisted and continued to cultivate amaranth while secretly storing amaranth seeds despite harsh punishments, which occasionally included having their hands amputated and even death.

Across the ocean the plant lived up to its name, since amaranth, or amarantos, is a Greek word meaning “unfading”, “inextinguishable” or “eternal”. Amaranth cultivation is still seen by indigenous activists as an “act of resistance” and pride today.

Around the world, amaranth has a significant nutritional and cultural impact. Ethiopians utilize the seeds to create the fermented porridge known as borde, which feeds expectant mothers and their infants, the unleavened bread known as kita, and the alcoholic beverage tella. Other cultures cuisines that include amaranth include Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Mexican, and Indian (where it is known as rajgira). Calaveras, or “skulls,” with raisin eyes and peanut noses, are a traditional food served during the festivities of the Day of the Dead.

What is Amaranth?

Amaranth is technically a “pseudocereal,” a classification that makes less and less sense every time I write about it because it is a grain that is actually a seed. Fortunately, it doesn’t matter what you term it to your taste senses or digestive system. They will only be aware of the deliciousness and extensive nutritional advantages of amaranth.

Amaranth is a complete grain that, like quinoa, and is naturally gluten free. Both pseudocereals belong to the Amaranthaceae family, which also contains spinach, chard, and beets, explaining their striking resemblance. (They must have some crazy reunions with such a variety of diets.)

When comparing quinoa with amaranth, amaranth has a well-deserved reputation as a nutritional powerhouse and overall has more of a nutritional value. Amaranth provides nine grams of protein per cup compared to quinoa’s eight. A cup of amaranth has five grams of iron compared to three grams in a cup of quinoa.

Amaranth has some distinct thoughts of its own, in contrast to quinoa, which is renowned for being mellow and uncomplainingly takes on the flavor of whatever it is being cooked with. Amaranth’s flavor when cooked has been characterized as “nutty” by admirers and, for the sake of full disclosure, “grassy” by others who don’t care for it. You’ll have to give it a try and make your own judgement.

Visually, when you look at a pile of amaranth, you see a mass of small, light-colored, golden or tan seeds, as if a movie called Honey, I Shrunk the Seeds had been produced. However, amaranth is much more than just seeds. Amaranth green leaves are also edible, making them a nutritious gluten-free option that may be consumed by themselves or as a talk of the town salad. Additionally, heating amaranth seeds produce puffed amaranth, a crunchy, nutty food similar to popcorn (have you heard of poparanth?). Amaranth seeds can sprout to produce sprouts and microgreens that are not only delicious but are packed with nutrition!

Types of Amaranth

There are several amaranth cultivars, some of which are cultivated for their seeds, some for their greens, and yet others primarily for decorative purposes. Amaranth is coming back in popularity so you’ll certainly discover at least one of the five popular types of grain mentioned below in your favorite grocery store.

Types of amaranth include:

• Amaranthus cruentus, a red amaranth that is indigenous to Guatemala and Mexico
• Foxtail amaranth, sometimes called love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus), is a plant that is indigenous to Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador.
• Native to Eastern North America, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, slim amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus)
• Native to Mexico the Amaranthus hypochondriacus is also known as Prince of Wales Feather and is cultivated in Africa as a food staple
• Amaranthus tricolour, a plant endemic to tropical Asia, is commonly called Joseph’s coat.

Amaranth Nutrition

Lysine, an important amino acid that can occasionally be difficult to acquire enough of on a plant-based diet, is abundant in amaranth. Amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat may all be added to your diet to help make sure you receive enough lysine because other common grains like corn and rice are low in them. Lysine is an excellent nutrient to get along with since it may help with conditions like recurrent cold sores, high blood pressure, hair loss, and weariness. Amaranth has bragging rights for having enough of each of the nine necessary amino acids, making it a complete protein.

A wonderful source of fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin E, amaranth is also a fantastic provider of many other essential nutrients in addition to protein. Additionally mineral-rich, it contributes to our diet by giving us essential elements like calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese that the plant absorbs from the soil. Amaranth is a fantastic option for persons who struggle to maintain their levels since it seems to offer highly bioavailable calcium, zinc, and iron forms.

Amaranth seed boiled in half a cup also offers 2.5 grams of fiber. Amaranth has 78% insoluble fiber, the type of fiber that keeps things flowing smoothly, according to research from Purdue University.

Additionally, amaranth leaves are, like other dark leafy greens, nutrient-dense health superstars for those who are fortunate enough to have access to them.

Health Benefits of Amaranth

Amaranth may be a blessing for your health with all those nutrients in a protein- and fiber-rich, gluten-free bundle. For individuals who are avoiding gluten, it’s a fantastic substitute (if you have Celiac disease, be sure to check for gluten-free certifications to ensure that there is no cross-contamination and there are no problematic traces of gluten in the amaranth).

Helps you Manage your Weight

Amaranth can aid in good weight control by inducing satiety, which means that it makes you feel full and lessens the desire to overeat. This is made possible by the abundance of high amounts of insoluble fiber and protein that it contains.

Great for Heart Health

Amaranth may also benefit cardiovascular health. Numerous studies have shown that eating whole grains and pseudocereals can lower your chance of developing heart disease and, in fact, of dying for any reason. Particularly amaranth seems to aid in decreasing LDL cholesterol.

In one experiment, hamsters were fed a high-cholesterol diet with either nothing, amaranth oil, or amaranth grain as a supplement. When compared to controls, those given amaranth reduced their levels of extremely low-density LDL cholesterol (often known as “bad cholesterol”) by up to 50%.

Reducing Inflammation

As this 2014 study found, “Amaranth hydrolysates reduced LPS-induced inflammation in human and mouse macrophages by inhibiting activation of NF-B signalling.” amaranth also has anti-inflammatory properties. Why aren’t you relieved that it’s my responsibility to read these stories and just share the punchline with you?

Vital Antioxidants to Preventing Illness

Phenolic chemicals, which have been proven to lower the risk of several malignancies and neurological illnesses, are among the antioxidants abundant in amaranth.

It appears to matter how you cook and process the amaranth. Compared to amaranth flour or popped grains, amaranth seeds have the highest antioxidant activity. Furthermore, soaking amaranth appears to lower the potential antioxidant benefits of the grain, even while it may improve nutritional bioavailability and absorption.

Other Advantages of Amaranth

Amaranth may benefit not just individual beings but also the entire world. Huge quantities are produced by the tiny amaranth seeds. Additionally, every part of the amaranth plant, including the seeds, leaves, sprouts, and microgreens, can be used in some capacity. Amaranth can thrive in conditions where the majority of other high-calorie staple foods would find them unfriendly, such as droughts, heat, and most pests. Amaranth is genuinely seen to be a food that might help feed the globe in the face of climate change by some food campaigners.