Amaranth: An Ancient Food of Great Value

Re: An Ancient Food of Great Value

Thanks for doin the legwork ripsnort.... good info.

 

Re: An Ancient Food of Great Value

Resurrecting an old thread on AMARANTH. Okay folks its been about 3 years since a flurry of posts about this as a food resource. Some of you were buying seed and were all excited about this grain and greens source. Did anyone follow through? I looked for latest posts by all those involved with the discussion and only Bear and Melbo are currently posting. None others with posts newer than 3 months ago or so. I am interested in some follow up info on this plant, and the viability of it growing well in the sand hills of north central florida. I sure would like some feedback here please if anyone has some. Thanks
The following info was gleaned online;

Callaloo or vegetable amaranth is a spinach like green vegetable that is enjoyed throughout the Caribbean and different parts of the tropics. There are several cultivated species of the genus Amaranthus collectively called amaranths. Some are grown for their edible seeds, while others are used as a green vegetable. The green form of Amaranthus gangeticus L. is most commonly cultivated for use as boiled greens. Some of the individual representatives of this group are: callaloo, tampala, hon-toi-moi, bush greens, and Chinese spinach. Leaf shape and color can vary considerably. Some are red, others are green, while others may be variegated, usually with purplish patterns on a green background.
All the vegetable amaranths are upright branched annuals. While some are quite large and broad-leaved (5-6 inches wide), others are much smaller and narrow-leaved. The red-leaved variety probably is A. tricolor L. The young leaves and shoot tips are eaten 3-6 weeks after sowing. Plants will send up new shoots from the main stem after cutting and can be harvested repeatedly over a number of weeks. Callaloo is boiled like spinach and should not be eaten raw.
Amaranth vigorously in Florida gardens especially during the warmer months. The green-leaved variety, tampala, which can be obtained from United States seedsmen, is satisfactory, although the best selections are undoubtedly only available from West Indian gardeners. Direct broadcast seeding is practiced and the seedlings are thinned to 3 inches apart when quite young. Young seedlings may be eaten. Amaranth is killed by cold so plant for warm season growth. The major pest observed in Florida was caterpillars, which can chew leaves rapidly in autumn. The wild types, commonly known as pig weeds, are weed pests in fields and gardens. Usually the garden species do not self seed to become serious pests following cultivation. Wild amaranth is edible but not as tasty.

 

Re: An Ancient Food of Great Value

I am still researching Amaranth, but would highly appreciate first hand info from someone at Survival Monkey who has tried growing, harvesting and eating it. Here is some more info I found.
ARAMANTH SEED. Aramanth grain, corn and beans were probably the primary foods of the Aztecs. The Aztecs unfortunately practiced a religious observance in which they would mix blood from a human sacrifice with popped amaranth grain. They formed this into a statue of a war god, worshiped the statue, then ate it. The Conquistadors considered this a mockery of the eucharist (communion) so banned both the religion and cultivation of the grain in 1517. Amaranth has existed primarily as a wild weed since that time.
Amaranth received much research attention in the 1970s and 80s because:
(1) it is more resistant to drought than corn,
(2) it does fairly well in nutrient deficient soil,
(3) it produces yields that compare favorably with corn and rice,
(4) the grain is high in protein of unusually high quality, and
(5) the leaves also have a good balance of proteins and may be cooked like spinach.
Much of the research was done by Rodale Institute (known for their many publications, including Organic Gardening magazine). They enlisted thousands of readers to do backyard experiments with different varieties of amaranth that they brought in from around the world. (This is a model for the kind of world-wide data we hope to gather as you report back to us on the seeds we send you.)
The protein is high in lysine, which accounts for 5% of total protein. It also has a very high "chemical score," a calculated value in which the higher numbers are the more perfect match for ideal human nutrition. For example, the chemical score for amaranth is 75-87, corn 44, wheat 57, sorghum 48, peanut 52, soybean 68, cow's milk 72. However, I have read results of feeding trials with rats where they did not do well at all on a corn/amaranth diet compared to corn and soybean. There are some anti-nutritional factors in raw amaranth that limits its use as a feed. Cooking improves this. Other drawbacks include small size of the seed that makes it difficult to thresh by machine and oxalic acid in the leaves that might tie up too much dietary calcium if eaten frequently in high amounts. You may request a summary of nutritional and cultivation information from ECHO. (See the chapter on Human Health for a perspective on nutritional limitations of amaranth.)
When evaluating amaranth for your area, you should try more than one species and variety, because the variability is considerable. A few of those we grew this year looked absolutely horrible, while others were truly beautiful crops. Amaranthus cruentus and A. hypochondriacus are grown primarily for their grain and A. tricolor for its leaves. Leaves of any variety can be eaten, however. Doug and Ruth Welcha are trying several of these varieties in Zaire. They just wrote that one variety (ECHO's #81-039) that they received earlier from Rodale grew 7 to 8 feet in composted soil. "Most of our neighbors demanded seeds, so it has been distributed near and far. But they are using it as a vegetable." This was one of the most prolific grain types for us.
Lloyd Rowlands sent us these comments from Zaire: "I planted two varieties of Amaranthus cruentus that I got from ECHO. I was pleasantly surprised by the yield. I gave a small quantity to my workman to try cooking. He tried it roasted--awful. Then he tried cooking it like rice--and asked me for seed! Variety 81-037 out-yielded 81-039. They were sown December 3 and harvested in March." ECHO has many varieties of amaranth seed, both types grown primarily for grain and those grown for their edible leaves. Please indicate with your order which type of amaranth you wish to try; we will send several varieties. Return to CONTENTS.

 

Re: An Ancient Food of Great Value

A seed source for Amaranth; Organic Amaranth Sprouting Seed | Amaranth Grain
Some more info on Amaranth with pictures;
Amaranthus tricolor
Common Names: red amaranth, tampala, Chinese spinach
Family: Amaranthaceae (amaranth Family)

http://www.floridata.com/Plants/Amaranthaceae/Amaranthus%20tricolor/1112

By mid-summer the red amaranth in Steve's garden is in glorious full bloom.
Description
We aren't exactly sure which species of Amaranthus we have growing here in our Zone 8 garden, but our best guess is A. tricolor, a species that is grown widely in Southeast Asia for its edible leaves, and grown widely everywhere else as an ornamental. Chinese spinach is a very variable erect annual, cultivars of which range from 2 to 5 ft (60-150 cm) in mature height. Leaf color is also variable, including various shades of red, green, bronze, yellow and gold. The form we are growing here in Florida (let's call it red amaranth) gets 5 ft (150 cm) high and has burgundy red leaves and produces lots of branches that terminate in plumes of burgundy red flowers. In different parts of the world, different cultivars are preferred for food. There also are numerous ornamental cultivars selected for leaf and flower color. 'Joseph's Coat' has leaves that combine dark green, red, golden yellow and brown.
Location
Amaranthus tricolor is probably native to Southeast Asia and possibly Africa as well. It is widely planted in the tropics for food, and in the tropics and subtropics as an ornamental.
Culture
Light: Grow amaranth in full sun.
Moisture: Amaranth likes a well drained soil and can tolerate moderate drought.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 7-10. Chinese spinach is an annual, but it needs a fairly long growing season to mature and produce seeds. If you just want the colorful and tasty leaves for salads or cooking "greens", you should be able to get a crop in zone 6. The plants do best in hot climates, and thrive during hot summers.
Propagation: Amaranthus species tend to be weedy, and most reseed themselves joyfully. We don't know who did the counting, but it is reported that a single plant can produce 100,000 seeds. We planted some seeds of red amaranth in the vegetable garden about 15 years ago and we haven't replanted since. Baby amaranths pop up faithfully throughout the spring and summer, and we decide, based on location, which plants will be allowed to mature and which will add to the mulch.

Steve's red amaranth patch serves as a bold background for a swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus grandiflorus) bud. This young amaranth flower stalk in late spring will mature to produce tens of thousands of (edible) seeds in the fall.
Usage
Here in Florida, we use young Chinese spinach leaves in fresh garden salads. They have a nice distinctive, earthy taste and certainly add color. Elsewhere, millions of people eat the leaves like spinach: steamed or lightly stir fried. They are often added to soups. The leaves are high in protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. In late summer the plants produce gobs of seeds, but we have yet to try roasting them. The ornamental cultivars are used in beds and borders and especially valued in arrangements because the flowers last a long time.
Features
The Incas in South America, grew Amaranthus caudatus (what they called quihuicha and what we call Inca wheat) for the grain-like seeds, which were ground into flour, or simply roasted until they popped like popcorn. (Today, selections of A. caudatus for the ornamental garden are called love lies bleeding or tassel flower.) Once a staple on the Incan table, quihuicha (also spelled kiwicha) fell out of use after the Spanish conquest, but is now enjoying a comeback. It turns out the abundant amaranth seeds are among the most nutritious foods known. They have a higher concentration of protein than any of the true cereal grains (i.e. members of the Poaceae such as wheat, corn, rice, etc.). Not only that, amaranth seeds have an amino acid makeup that is more nearly perfect for human nutrition than any other grain. The Aztecs in Mexico had their own grain amaranth too: A. hypochondriacus, and it too was relegated to the history books because of Spanish disapproval. (Perhaps the Spanish were wary of hypochondriacs?)

 

Re: An Ancient Food of Great Value

It does indeed sprout. And can be eaten in that form. My link in the last post above (wheatgrasskits.com) sells a 5lb can of viable amaranth seeds for sprouting or planting for $20

 

Amaranth Grain

Product Code: AMAGRAIN


Introduction
Amaranth has been cultivated throughout history, dating back to the Aztec and Inca cultures. Amaranth fell from favor when the conquistadors noticed that the popping of amaranth seeds played a central role in Aztec pagan ceremonies. But today it has been found that this fibrous grain contains three times more fiber than wheat and five times more iron than wheat. Its unique nutritional properties make it a grain with many applications in the food industry. Amaranth is an annual herb. It has broad leaves and large flower heads that produce thousands of protein-rich seeds. Amaranth seeds are tiny golden and round. They can be popped, toasted, or cooked to make cereal. Amaranth cooks very quickly so it is a good choice for a quick, nutritious hot porridge.

Benefits
Rich in lysine, 14% more than maize or rice, 27% more than wheat, rich in calcium, iron; high in protein (16%)oil contains antioxidants (vitamin E) tocotrieonol.

Advantages
Nutritionist's protein value score chart (100 is considered ideal) amaranth 75, cow's milk 72, soybeans 68, barley 62, wheat 60, peanuts 52, and corn 44 as shown above. Amaranth scores high in protein value when compared to other grains. When amaranth is combined with other grains, the protein value score approaches the ideal amino acid reference pattern established in 1973 by the fao/who of the united nations.*source: national research council, 1984 amaranth, modern proposals for an ancient composition of grains (usda & national research council)

Applications
Amaranth has a wide variety of applications in the food industry. It is available from Garuda International as a whole grain. It can also be puffed (like tiny popped corn) or ground into a whole grain flour. Amaranth can be used in a number of food products including breakfast cereals, breadings for meat, fish, poultry, or vegetables, confectionery products (i.e. added to chocolate for taste and texture), salad condiments (i.e. in croutons, or puffed grain sprinkled directly on salads), baked products (breads, muffins, cookies, biscuits), extruded snack foods and chips, pastas, health foods, soups, and dietetic products.Amaranth's potential applications are truly unlimited for creative food formulators, who should always keep amaranth in mind whenever a delicious nutty flavor and high-powered nutrition is desired. Amaranth seeds can be popped like popcorn, expanding to about 10 times the original volume. The popped amaranth has a toasted, nutty flavour, and can be used in a variety of ways: in confections bound with sorghum, molasses or honey; in high-energy granola bars. Because amaranth has very little gluten, if any, it is recommended to use 50:50 ratio of amaranth flour to whole wheat flour in a sweet dough. When amaranth seed is boiled in water and then chilled, it develops gelatinous texture possibly due to a waxy starch similar to cornstarch. Therefore it can be used to prepare jam-like fruit spread using no pectin and very little sweetener. Because of the unique characteristic and nutritional profile of the seed, amaranth has been identified as a new potential crop for certain specialized applications. Health foods and baked goods.

Product Characteristics
Amaranth grows vigorously in most climates and needs a minimum of water. Both the leaves, which taste like spinach, and the seeds contain a high concentration of lysine, an essential amino acid lacking in all of the world's main cereal crops. One study conducted in Denmark concluded that the addition of amaranth to other cereal flours improved protein quality without affecting energy utilization. A study published in the Journal of Food Science concluded that amaranth is also highly suitable for utilization in infant formulas. The seeds can be used for breads, pastries, or can be popped like corn. In addition to its high fiber, calcium and iron, amaranth also has two times more calcium than milk. When used in combination with wheat, corn or brown rice, amaranth offers a complete protein as high in food value as fish, red meat or poultry. Cooked amaranth has a total digestibility of about 90%. Amaranth's unique nutty flavor makes it a welcome addition to many types of food products.

Both Mountainman and I have acquired multiple types of Amaranth seed and plan on planting, harvesting, and evaluating this grain/vegetable crop this growing season.

 

Just noticed this thread. I'm starting a food co-op. Give me 3 weeks or so, and I'll have fresh, organic, edible, sproutable amaranth seeds for $3/lb plus shipping - even less by the 25 lb. bag.

Amaranth is a phenomenal food. Nutritionally it's one of the best foods on earth. As a bonus, it grows like a weed. (It was growing wild on my little acreage outside of Denver when I moved in there, in crappy arid sandy weed laden soil!) Amaranth is also ridiculously easy to harvest.

The seeds are small and have a fairly high oil content, which means the germination rate and food value will drop quickly if stored at room temp. The best way to store them is refrigerated or frozen in something airtight. And (as I wrote in "storing popcorn" of all places) they make great sprouts. Unlike many seeds, they don't need soaking. Just rinse them every 8 hours. Given the remarkable proteins in the grain itself, amaranth sprouts must be off the charts nutritionally.

 

LOL. I just bought a pound of it. I read about it here on this thread.

 

Just tried my first bowl of the stuff today.
Saw it in Whole Foods, so I picked up about 1/2 lb.

I boiled it down to a porridge. It feels like poppy seeds in the mouth and tastes like cardboard. A bit of honey makes it palatable.

Might grind the rest of it and try to make a flatbread.

Altogether, it's easy to get down and I wouldn't mind eating it if I had to, but as of now, it won't be the first thing I reach for when I'm hungry.

 

Growing amaranth

Well I am new here, but I learned about amaranth from reading this thread. Now I am planting and growing 9 variaties, and will update you guys on which we like better for grain and vegtable, and how they grow.

I am planting them in the foothills of NC, in the beginning of June 2010.

More to come...

 

Rawles says that planted Amaranth can become an invasive weed and basically "take over" your property.

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Cool! Then I will not have to plant my food every year.

I have read that some do reseed easy on there own. I guess I will find out.

 

Well, yes! the wild kind grows (Ohio) here and is impossible to get rid of. The seeds are not real big, but I kind of like them raw. I've never tried them any other way. Not sure the wife even knows what those weeds are in the garden other than the rag weed and lambs quarters.

 

great! though i'd need to do a little more research in case it does take over the property. my sister's gonna kill me if it destroys her plans for the garden

 

Great info on this very useful plant, I will be getting some going to see how it does starting it late.

 

More info

There is more info about Amaranth in "the green patch", if you want more.

 

Air-Popped Amaranth “Popcorn” Recipe
Serves 1

The Skinny
Per 1/4-cup serving:

• 180 cal
• 3 g fat (1 g sat)
• 31 g carbs
• 10 mg sodium
• 7 g fiber
• 7 g protein

Cook time: 3 minutes

Ingredients
1/4 cup amaranth
Salt or dried herbs (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Test the pan by splashing a few drops of water in. If it evaporates instantly, it’s ready.
2. Add 1 tablespoon amaranth and stir with a wood spoon constantly until toasted and popped, about 15-20 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining amaranth.
3. Season to taste and eat it like popcorn, or sprinkle it on your salad or yogurt.

Types of Amaranth | The Whole Grains Council

 

I bought several varieties of amaranth to plant in Ecuador since the quality of what grows there is pretty unrefined. Unfortunately, my seed shipment got lost in the mail. I guess I'll try again this year.

 

I tried to grow amaranth. I should have bought different types. Only purchased one packet that was zone approved but I had horrible results. The plants only got 3-6 inches high. They were pretty and I had them planted in different areas but it was nothing like I was hoping for.