Description
Amaranth is native to Mexico and Central America and was a staple of earl American civilization. It fell out of popularity after the 16th century Spanish conquests. The sweet, nutty-tasting, seed is used as a cash crop in Nepal and India and is a specialty crop of Mexico and South America.
Amaranth is both nutritionally and aesthetically rich. It is a beautiful plant to grow, with long, draping, deep-red plums overflowing with tiny, white, seeds. Amaranth grows quickly and resists drought. The name "Amaranth" is derived from the Greek word "immortal".
This is an incredibly hardy grain that maintains its life force over the long term. Indeed, amaranth seeds discovered in Aztec ruins have been recovered...and sprouted! Corn and rice, on the other hand, lose their life force in only a few decades.
The Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas called amaranth a "super grain" due to its high concentrations of essential amino acids -- those the body cannot produce. Lysine and methionine, in particular, have relatively large concentrations in amaranth while total protein content can range as high as 20% of the grain. Amaranth also contains relatively high levels of iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Pop amaranth seeds like popcorn and watch them expand to approximately 10 times the original volume! If using amaranth flour to make dough, combine in a 1:1 ratio of amaranth flour to whole wheat flour.
