The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life by Deborah A. Klein

Author:Deborah A. Klein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Published: 2010-06-11T16:00:00+00:00

100 Amaranth

Benefits

Amaranth is native to South America, Asia, and Africa. It grows easily and can be prolific in producing seeds. Its high-protein, gluten-free seeds are used as a grain, though technically amaranth is a pseudograin. For a plant source, it is also a relatively complete protein, because it includes lysine, an essential amino acid that grains often lack. The seeds are high in fiber and provide the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese.

In some countries, especially India and Africa, amaranth leaves are eaten as well. Although these greens are high in many vitamins and minerals, they are also high in oxalic acid. Both the flowers and leaves have been used in some forms of traditional medicine.

Amaranth seed appears to help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, an effect not only of the seeds’ fiber content but also of chemical substances called plant sterols. These sterols become stanols, some of which are known to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol. Other stanols are used by the body to make steroids, which can have important anti-inflammatory properties.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION One-quarter cup of organic whole grain amaranth provides 180 calories, 31 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein, 3 g fat, 7 g dietary fiber, 2.4 mg vitamin C, 8 mg calcium, 3.6 mg iron, 0.03 mg thiamine, 0.1 mg riboflavin, 0.8 mg niacin, 0.02 mg folate, and 200 mg phosphorus.

Bringing It Home

Amaranth seed is probably easiest to find at health food and natural food stores, where it is sometimes sold as a bulk grain. However, it is becoming more common to find it commercially packaged in conventional groceries. Because it is relatively rich in oils, there is a risk that it will go rancid if stored too long, so buy it from a store where the stock turns over relatively rapidly. At home, store it away from light, heat, and moisture.

Amaranth can be cooked like a grain or, with more water, as a hot cereal.

Pastas made with amaranth tend to be multi-grain, teaming it with rice or quinoa—a great way to add a variety of grains to your day. Amaranth-based pastas cook more quickly than wheat pastas, usually in a mere four to six minutes. You definitely don’t want to overcook this pasta, because it gets mushy. You may want to drain it immediately and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

Livit Recipe

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