Amaranth Facts
Amaranth comes from the Greek word for "the never-fading flower." Not a true grain, the South American and African herb is a relative of pigweed—also called lambs’ quarters—and the garden plant cockscomb. There are about 60 species of amaranth, some grown for the seed and others for the leaf, with no definite distinction between them. Does this Spark an idea?
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Mythology
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To the ancient Greeks, the amaranth was a symbol for immortality. They made crowns from it, since they believed that anyone who wore such a crown would gain fame and fortune. They also decorated tombs and images of gods with amaranth. It was especially sacred to Artemis, goddess of Ephesus. According to Paralumun, "the name Amaranth derives from Amarynthos, a hunter and King of Euboea."
Description
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"Amaranth is an upright, moderately tall, broad leafed, annual plant," according to Tropical Permaculture. There is extensive variation within each species. The plants are bushy, with a showy head of clover-like red or magenta flowers. The tall plant can grow to a height of 5 to 7 feet and is capable of producing 40,000 to 60,000 seeds.
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History
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The pre-Columbian Aztecs believed amaranth had supernatural powers, it became a staple in the their diet as well as for religious ceremonies. Before the Spanish conquest in 1519, Aztec women made a mixture of ground amaranth seed with honey or human blood and shaped it into idols that were eaten in ceremonies. This association with human sacrifice horrified the conquistadors, and in an attempt to eliminate the practice, they outlawed amaranth cultivation. Propagation fell to nearly nothing for hundreds of years in Central America and the plant only survived due to cultivation in a few remote areas of the Andean highlands and Mexico.
Nutrients
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Amaranth contains high amounts of protein. It has lysine and methionine, two essential amino acids not normally found in grain. It has three times as much fiber as wheat and five times as much iron.It even has twice the calcium of milk. When eaten with brown rice, corn or wheat the result is a complete protein that can replace fish, poultry and even red meat.
Uses
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Amaranth seeds are often ground into a gluten-free flour and used as an additive in soups. You can pop it like corn to make an easily digestible snack or cereal. Unlike popcorn, which pops at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit, amaranth requires 800 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it quite a bit more energy intensive. It began gaining popularity in the United States in 1975, and can be found in natural food stores among baking ingredients.
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