Amaranth, also called Chinese Spinach, are bushy, green-colored plants some of which have leaves that can be eaten and taste similar to spinach, and some of which produce seeds that can be used as a grain. The plant is a relative to the pigweed, which is a wild plant. Additionally, sixty species of amaranth exist in the world. Certain amaranth varieties are considered vegetables and are grown strictly for their leaves. Others are grown only for their seeds. One variety, named Joseph's Coat, is used strictly for decorative purposes, mainly as a bedding plant. Dyes can be made from several varieties.
For many centuries, amaranth was used as a food source. For example, it was considered a dietary staple for the pre-Columbian peoples who inhabited Mexico. Now, it is commonly grown in Mexico, Peru, and in Nepal. Because of its highly nutritional value, it is also becoming more popular as a food additive in the United States. Thus, it is being grown in Illinois, Nebraska, and Colorado.
You can identify an amaranth plant by its broad leaves that produce clover-like flowers. These flowers contain seeds that are used in a variety of ways including to commercially produce cereals, similar to puffed rice, pastas, and baked goods. Amaranth grows well in warm weather with conditions that include much light. Under ideal growing circumstances, amaranth plants can grow to heights of up to 4 feet. Amaranth plants are ready for harvesting 5-6 weeks after their seeds have been sown.
Because of the many varieties of amaranth that exist, when purchasing an amaranth plant, it is important to know whether the leaves and seeds are edible. If you want to purchase only the edible leaves, you can usually purchase them, by the pound, in health and natural food stores. When purchasing the leaves, look for clean and firm leaves. Once purchased, you can safely store the leaves in your home for up to one week provided that the leaves are stored in your refrigerator. Amaranth leaves are used similar to spinach and can be boiled or fried as a tasty side dish. Additionally, the leaves are high in fiber and contain high levels of iron and calcium.
An amaranth plant typically produces 40,000-60,000 seeds during its lifetime. These seeds, and the products made from them, can also be purchased at health and natural food stores. Amaranth seeds provide an extremely versatile cooking ingredient in recipes. Besides being used commercially to produce highly nutritious foods, the seeds can be toasted, ground into a flour, which is gluten and wheat free, cooked with other grains, or added to stews and soups as a thickener. Amaranth grain is extremely high in protein (16-18%) and contains the amino acids lysine and methionine. These amino acids are not typically found in other grains. When purchasing amaranth seeds you can store them in your home for up to six months as long as you store them in your refrigerator in an airtight jar or container.
Because of the amaranth plant's cooking diversity, many recipes have been created for its use. Before using amaranth, however, you may want to look into using these recipes and experiment with ingredients to produce a desired result. Amaranth has been used for centuries because of its nutritional qualities and will continue to develop a culinary following because of its ability to provide both a vegetable and a grain to a health-conscious audience.
Nutritional data available here.
This information was provided via www.essortment.com
