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Amaranth Nutrition

Although it has a long history as a traditional food, amaranth, the "miracle grain" of the Aztecs, is a relatively recent addition to grocery store shelves. While it's considered a grain, amaranth is not a true grain. It is actually the seed of an herb, which can be used in the same way as grains. A protein- and fiber-rich addition to the diet, amaranth has a sweet, nutty taste that combines well with a variety of ingredients.

  1. History

    • Amaranth is an ancient food that traces its history to pre-Columbian Aztec society. There, it served as a staple food, Michael Murray and Lara Pizzorno explain, until conquistadors witnessed amaranth being used in religious rituals, possibly involving human blood. To combat the rituals, the conquistadors destroyed all of the amaranth crops they could find. Amaranth continued to be grown in remote areas, which is the only thing that saved the plant as a cultivated crop.

    Nutritional Profile

    • Indian Harvest, a company that packages and sells amaranth and other grains, notes that a ¼ cup serving size of dry amaranth contains 180 calories. It contains 3 grams of fat, with 1 gram of saturated fat, and low sodium. Amaranth contains 31 grams of carbs, with73 grams of fiber, which is 28 percent of the recommended daily allowance. It is high in protein, supplying seven grams, and is also high in iron, offering 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance. It also provides 8 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium.

    Amaranth and Celiac Disease

    • The growing awareness and diagnosis of celiac disease has increased the popularity of amaranth in recent years. Although distantly related to wheat, Dr. Donald Kasarda, a former research chemist for the USDA, assures those with celiac disease that amaranth is an excellent gluten-free choice as a grain. He notes that some people with celiac disease may experience sensitivity to amaranth because it contains high oxalate levels. However, he explains, these allergies are not linked to celiac disease and are not widespread.

    Health Benefits

    • Michael Murray and Lara Pizzorno note that in addition to having a high nutritional profile, amaranth "includes significant amounts of phytosterols, which research is beginning to show can play a major role in preventing chronic degenerative disease." Additionally, amaranth may help lower cholesterol. They cite a study in which young chickens where fed amaranth-based food, which greatly lowered their LDL cholesterol while having no effect on their HDL cholesterol.

    Uses

    • Amaranth can be simmered in liquid for about 25 minutes and served as a grain or hot cereal, or as an ingredient in soups and stews. It can also be toasted or popped in a dry or oiled skillet, and then simmered or added to other dishes. Ground into flour, it's used in baked goods, either as a supplemental or primary flour. You can also purchase pasta and cold cereals containing amaranth. And you can even find amaranth leaves at some specialty groceries, which may be eaten raw or cooked.

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