How to Identify Amaranth

Amaranth has a rich history in cuisine all over the world. The plant has been used for culinary and ornamental purposes in various cultures stretching back through history. Amaranth is abundant and nutritious, and therefore a useful plant to identify in a wilderness survival situation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Look for a weedy area among crops, along roadsides or fields, in waste areas, or on disturbed ground. In some places in the world, amaranth is grown as a vegetable, or even much like a grain crop.

2. Search for a weedy plant up to several feet tall with alternating green leaves. Sometimes, the stems are slightly red.

3. Find tiny green, red or purple flowers clustered densely together, sometimes drooping slightly, at the head of the plant.

4. Shake the head of the plant to collect the nutritious amaranth seeds. Eat the seeds raw, boil them, or even grind the amaranth seeds to make flour.

5. Roast the amaranth seeds to pop them much like popcorn. This can then be mixed with honey or molasses to make a snack called "alegría."

6. Eat any part of the plant raw, or boil it to taste. The tips of a mature plant, or the whole of the young plant, are particularly good to eat.

Tips & Warnings

• Amaranth is rich in protein, dietary fiber and vitamins, making it an excellent plant to eat for wilderness survival or otherwise.
• Amaranth is believed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
• When eating any wild plant, positive identification is essential to prevent poisoning.
• Some people are very allergic to amaranth.
• Some amaranth plants have sharp spines. Remove them before eating the plant.
• Avoid eating amaranth if you have kidney disease, gout or rheumatoid arthritis as it contains oxalic acid which inhibits the absorption of zinc and calcium.
• Avoid reheating cooked amaranth.

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[nebulamystic]

on 6/22/2008 This would have been a much more effective and helpful article if it had a few photos of the herb. Perhaps what the seeds look like or something to visually go by, especially when trying to identify a weed.