18+ Amazing Amaranth Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat too much amaranth? ›

Avoid eating too much amaranth from agricultural fields. The leaves (like those of spinach, sorrel and many other greens) also contain oxalic acid, which can be poisonous to livestock or to humans with kidney issues of eaten in large amounts.

Why Is Amaranth a Healthy Eats Pick? One cup of cooked amaranth has 251 calories, 4 grams of fat and 46 grams of carbohydrates. It ranks as highest in protein of all the grains with 9 grams per cup. It also contains the amino acid lysine, which is missing in all other grains.

"Soaking the grains makes their nutrients easier to digest and shortens the cooking time," says Ziata. Simply combine amaranth and water in a large bowl, completely submerging the grains. When you're ready to cook, drain and rinse the grains with a fine mesh strainer.

She recommends you soak the amaranth at least 8 hours (up to 24) to unlock the nutrients and to help it aid in digestion. I simply measured out the amaranth and stuck it in water the night before (I found a small pan with a tight fitting lid worked well to drain and rinse it the next morning.)

A Brief History of Amaranth

In the 16th century the Spanish conquistadors banned the plant's cultivation, fearing that the spiritual connection with it would stymie the establishment of Catholicism on the continent.

Scientific Evidence on Amaranth's Safety

Sure, it contains some anti-nutritional factors like oxalates and saponins, but these are largely neutralized by cooking. So, if you're boiling those leaves and tossing the water, you're in the clear.

For people with intolerance to lysinuric protein, eating amaranth may cause diarrhoea and stomach pain. Moreover, another side effect of lysine increase body's calcium absorption, and bring free, damage-causing amount of calcium in the body. So avoid taking large amounts of calcium and lysine at the same time.

Amaranth contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber plays an important role in digestion. It can help relieve diarrhea and constipation by ensuring a person has a consistent stool texture. Additionally, it helps the body manage blood sugar , so it is especially important for people living with diabetes.

Eating Amaranth Could Reduce Inflammation

Several studies have found that amaranth could have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. In one test-tube study, amaranth was found to reduce several markers of inflammation ( 13 ).

Storing Amaranth

Store Amaranth seeds in a food grade container in a cool dry place for up to a year. rancid. Cooked amaranth can be kept in the refrigerator for five days.

Is amaranth a superfood? ›

Amaranth seeds used to be the staple food of many people including the Aztecs in the past. Their popularity had resurged a few years back and they came to be known as a superfood when the Amaranth seeds were found to have health benefits.

After posting this video on instagram, I heard from a few of my followers that they tried amaranth before, and it was bitter or off tasting. If that's the case, rinse before cooking to remove ​​saponin, a naturally occurring phytochemical that gives unwashed grain a bitter taste.

If it isn't moldy, check to see if there is any odor coming from the amaranth. If it doesn't fall under either of those conditions, the taste can be off. It should be sweet and nutty. If it isn't, it may be rancid.

Amaranth leaves are usually picked fresh for use as greens in salads or blanched, steamed, boiled, fried in oil, and mixed with meat, fish, cucurbit seeds, groundnut or palm oil. Cooked greens can be used as a side dish, in soups or as an ingredient in sauce and baby food formulations.

Amaranth contains slightly more protein than quinoa, but they both provide double the amount you'll get from brown rice, oats and whole wheat. Amaranth has 9 grams of protein in a 1-cup serving, while quinoa has 8 grams, according to the USDA.

With just a cup of amaranth providing over 100 percent the daily recommended dose of manganese, it can be eaten as part of a diabetic diet that helps reduce high blood sugar levels. Manganese is needed to help with proper production of digestive enzymes responsible for a process called gluconeogenesis.

For people with intolerance to lysinuric protein, eating amaranth may cause diarrhoea and stomach pain. Moreover, another side effect of lysine increase body's calcium absorption, and bring free, damage-causing amount of calcium in the body. So avoid taking large amounts of calcium and lysine at the same time.

Eating Amaranth Could Reduce Inflammation

However, chronic inflammation can contribute to chronic disease and has been associated with conditions like cancer, diabetes and autoimmune disorders ( 12 ). Several studies have found that amaranth could have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body.

Promotes cardiovascular health: Amaranth has several nutrients including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber that maintain heart health, regulate blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol levels.