Amaranth: what it is, properties, benefits and how to cook it

What is amaranth?

He amaranth It is a very healthy pseudocereal and widely used in the kitchen. It is one of the crops oldest in America and probably of humanity, since archaeological remains have been found in tombs in the Andean region dating back to the year 4000 BC.

Mayas, Incas and Aztecs devoted vast territories to its cultivation. In their sacred ceremonies, pre-Hispanic peoples mixed amaranth with honey and formed figures of deities. This practice aroused the suspicion of the first conquerors, who for this reason came to prohibit amaranth.

Nutritional value of amaranth

The nutritional composition of amaranth has deserved to be considered one of the 36 vegetables with the highest food potential for humanity due to its richness in minerals and proteins, its resistance to drought and its great agricultural yield.

Amaranth is an excellent source of amino acids, very useful to increase the consumption of proteins of vegetable origin and get many other valuable nutrients at the same time.

Among cereals and pseudocereals, amaranth occupies a prominent position: with 13.6% it provides almost twice as much protein as brown rice and surpasses wheat (11.4%), buckwheat (10%) and millet (10%). ,5%).

But what makes amaranth even more extraordinary is the biological value of these proteins, since they include all the essential amino acids (those that the body is not capable of synthesizing and needs to receive from food) in an optimal proportion to be assimilated.

amaranth is rich in minerals and trace elementswhat makes it very restorative. It is a great source of calciumsuperior to any other cereal, and also provide a good dose of magnesium.

It is also considered a excellent source of iron (superior to spinach), as well as zinc and selenium, which stimulate the immune system.

Benefits and properties of amaranth

The extraordinary composition of amaranth translates into a series of benefits for well-being and health.

1. Increases physical and mental performance

It is considered highly recommended for people who perform great physical wear. And also for students and other people who carry out intellectual activities.

Its low glycemic index makes it a good brain food. Its complex carbohydrates, vegetable fiber and proteins together contribute to facilitating a constant supply of glucose to neurons.

2. Friend of the heart

Regulates blood cholesterol levels preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol which produces bile. Amaranth is richer in fat than oats and these are of high quality, mainly polyunsaturated. For all these reasons it is a heart-healthy food.

In addition, it has phenolic compounds, with an antioxidant effect, and beta-sitosterol, which helps lower cholesterol. These compounds are also useful in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

3. Strengthens the bones

The combination of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus strengthens the bone system and contributes to protect against osteoporosis.

4. Champion in squalene

It is squalene is a substance antioxidant fat with protective effects on the skin, the circulatory system and the intestines.

This substance was extracted from shark liver and was attributed anticancer properties. Amaranth is an abundant vegetable source.

5. Gluten-free healthy energy for celiacs

The main component of this seed is carbohydrates (59%), the vast majority of which are in the form of starch. And they are not accompanied by gluten as it happens in other cereals.

As the glycemic index is low, it can also be taken by diabetics.

6. Provides more fiber than other cereals

The fiber content of amaranth (6.7%) is higher than that of most cereals and contributes to the good progress of the intestine and the care of the microbiota or intestinal flora.

How to cook amaranth

In the kitchen, amaranth it is treated as a cereal. It can be taken toasted, boiled, swollen, in the form of flour or sprouted, and can be used to prepare both sweet and savory recipes.

The seed gives off an intense smell when cooked and its flavor is accentuated, which is why some people prefer to mix it with other cereals or legumes to soften it.

To cook it, a proportion of two and a half cups of water for one of seeds, although this is only approximate, as it fluctuates with variety.

It is important to keep the pan covered during cooking and, once the water has been absorbed, remove it from the heat and let it rest for ten minutes. If it has been soaked before, less water should be used or it will be caked.

Adding a piece of kombu seaweed, onion, and a stalk of celery to the cooking water produces a rounder flavor, as it goes well with intense broths.

Once cooked it can be used, for example, to stuffed aubergines, zucchini or tomatoes, prepare croquettes or give consistency to soups and sauces.

It is usually seasoned with black pepper, mustard and cilantro, although it also goes well with bay leaf, garlic, savory, thyme or parsley.

In sweet recipes, honey is your best companion. With this mixture, Mexicans prepare a typical sweet whose recipe has hardly changed since Moctezuma’s time: a nutritious candy called “joy” offered at fairs and street shops.

Recipes and uses of amaranth in the kitchen

Tasty amaranth popcorn

A very practical way to prepare amaranth is in the form of popcorn. They are easy to improvise mild flavor and pleasant texture, ideal for an aperitif or to include in mueslis, salads, soups or vegetable fillings.

Put a thick-bottomed casserole on the heat without adding fat, and when it is hot – not too hot – add one or two tablespoons of seeds, which should pop out without scorching. Cover and, outside the heat, stir until the popcorn opens.

sprouted amaranth

Like any seed, amaranth can be germinated. Its tiny shoots, similar to those of alfalfa, give salads freshness and they are useful in quick vegetable stir-fries or as a filling for sandwiches, as a garnish for cereals or on top of a vegetable pie.

amaranth flour

It is advisable to prepare it yourself at home with a coffee grinder or a food processor.

Amaranth flour is excellent for thicken soups and sauces, or to use in croquettes and meatballs. And while it’s not breadable, it works great on its own on cookies and pancakes.

In recipes with yeast, such as biscuits, bread or cakes, it is necessary to mix it with others, such as spelled, rye or wheat.