Amaranth is a common plant for most of South and Central American population. However, it becomes popular around the world especially among people who are interested in healthy eating.
There are about 60 species of amaranth worldwide. They are divided into four groups: Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus blitum, Amaranthus dubius, and Amaranthus tricolor.
Amaranth is not only used for food but also for medicine. Oil of amaranth seeds stimulates defensive powers of a body and even inhibits development of cancer cells. It also slows down aging processes, reduces cholesterol levels and helps to treat tuberculosis, respiratory tract and skin diseases. Talking about therapeutic properties amaranth can be compared to ginseng.
Seeds of amaranth contain 15-17 per cent of protein, 5-8 per cent of fat and 3.7-5.7 per cent of fiber which is much more than in other cereals. In addition, amaranth is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, trace elements and a number of vitamins. It practically doesn’t have glutens which are known to cause allergies for many people.
Amaranth seeds taste similar to nuts. Its flour is used to make bread, cakes, pasta and other products. You can also cook various porridges, pastries and even make drinks from amaranth. Roasted seeds of amaranth are a great and healthy snack.
Amaranth leaves are also rich in proteins and have other nutritional and medicinal substances. Nutritional value of 150-200 grams of amaranth is equivalent to one kilo of tomatoes or cucumbers. It’s quite easy to combine amaranth leaves with other products, since they don’t have specific taste or smell.