†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[2]
Amaranth, cooked
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy
429 kJ (103 kcal)
Carbohydrates
19 g
Dietary fiber
2 g
Fat
2 g
Protein
4 g
Vitamins
Quantity
%DV†
Thiamine (B1)
2%
0.02 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
2%
0.02 mg
Niacin (B3)
2%
0.24 mg
Vitamin B6
6%
0.1 mg
Folate (B9)
6%
22 μg
Minerals
Quantity
%DV†
Calcium
4%
47 mg
Iron
12%
2.1 mg
Magnesium
15%
65 mg
Manganese
39%
0.9 mg
Phosphorus
12%
148 mg
Potassium
5%
135 mg
Zinc
8%
0.9 mg
Other constituents
Quantity
Water
75 g
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[2]
Species belonging to the genus Amaranthus have been cultivated for their grains for 8,000 years.[3] Amaranth plants are classified as pseudocereals that are grown for their edible starchy seeds, but they are not in the same botanical family as true cereals, such as wheat and rice.[4] Amaranth species that are still used as a grain are Amaranthus caudatus L., Amaranthus cruentus L., and Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. The yield of grain amaranth is comparable to that of rice or maize.
The grain was a staple food of the Aztecs and an integral part of Aztec religious ceremonies. The cultivation of amaranth was banned by the conquistadores upon their conquest of the Aztec nation. However, the plant has grown as a weed since then, so its genetic base has been largely maintained. Research on grain amaranth began in the United States in the 1970s. By the end of the 1970s, a few thousand acres were being cultivated there, and continue to be cultivated.[5]
Much of the amaranth grain currently grown is sold in health food shops. Grain amaranth is also grown as a food crop in limited areas of Mexico, where it is used to make a candy called alegría (Spanish for joy) at festival times. In other preparations, the grain can be popped like popcorn and then either mixed with honey, or served with milk, dried fruit and nuts like a cold breakfast cereal. Amaranth grain can also be used to extract amaranth oil, a pressed seed oil with commercial uses.
^ abUnited States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". Retrieved 2024-03-28.
^ abNational Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154.
^O'Brien, G. Kelly; Price, Martin L. (1983). "Amaranth: Grain & Vegetable Types" (PDF). ECHO Technical Note. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2019-09-25.
^"Cereal Grains and Pseudo-Cereals - Dictionary definition of Cereal Grains and Pseudo-Cereals | Encyclopedia.com: FREE online dictionary". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
^Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute. "Grain Amaranth: A Lost Crop of the Americas". Archived from the original on 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-05-07. (PDF version Archived 2006-10-09 at the Wayback Machine also available)
belonging to the genus Amaranthus have been cultivated for their grains for 8,000 years. Amaranth plants are classified as pseudocereals that are grown for their...
characteristics and uses with members of the closely related genus Celosia. Amaranthgrain is collected from the genus. The leaves of some species are also eaten...
species that yields the nutritious staple amaranthgrain. It is one of three Amaranthus species cultivated as a grain source, the other two being Amaranthus...
called grains if they resemble caryopses. For example, amaranth is sold as "grainamaranth", and amaranth products may be described as "whole grains". The...
black fonio, Asian millet Wild rice Pseudocereals Amaranth Buckwheat, Tartary buckwheat Quinoa Whole grains are a source of multiple nutrients and dietary...
common names such as love-lies-bleeding, pendant amaranth, tassel flower, velvet flower, foxtail amaranth, and quelite.[citation needed] To the Quechua people...
Some other grains are colloquially called cereals, even though they are not grasses; these pseudocereals include buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth. All cereal...
cruentus and A. hypochondriacus — that are called, collectively, amaranthgrain. Amaranth oil is a light-to-medium-colored, clear liquid that is pourable...
the pseudocereals quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, and chia. Some authors even consider bulgur and freekeh to be ancient grains, even though they are usually...
culinary roles. Grains are the edible seed of a plants in the grass family Poaceae. Grains come in two varieties, the larger grains produced by drought-sensitive...
plant in the amaranth genus. It has several common names, including carelessweed, dioecious amaranth, Palmer's amaranth, Palmer amaranth, and Palmer's...
ranked by 2013 production. Other grains that are locally important, but are not included in FAO statistics, include: Amaranth, an ancient pseudocereal, formerly...
quinoa—a pseudocereal grain that originally came from the Andes—were also staples centuries ago. Oca tubers, ulluku tubers and grainamaranth are other foods...
Almond flour is made from ground almonds. Amaranth flour is a flour produced from ground amaranthgrain. It was commonly used in pre-Columbian meso-American...
manufacturers in China as well. Snacks and food products made from puffed grain include: Amaranth Alegría – Mexico Corn (maize) Cornick - Philippines Corn nut -...
excellent grain alternative in regions with difficulties sowing other types of cereals. During the rule of Moctezuma, huauzontle and amaranth were the...
amounts greater than in many grains. Quinoa is not a grass but rather a pseudocereal botanically related to spinach and amaranth (Amaranthus spp.), and originated...
AM-ər-an-THAY-see-e(y)e) is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus Amaranthus. It includes the former...
within 3 years. It is, however, highly frost sensitive. Guava fruit. Amaranthgrain; other species present on other continents. Fruit. Fruit, other parts...
variation from bhajanee, flour made from tapioca (sabudana) and rajgira (amaranth) is used to make a thalipeeth on Hindu fasting days. List of Indian breads...
flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium...
Some of the herbs frequently used are escancel or bloodleaf (a type of amaranth), achiote or annatto, hibiscus, lemon verbena, lemongrass, spearmint, peppermint...
see-LOH-shee-ə) is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. Its species are commonly known as woolflowers, or...
countries have also begun selling miso made from chickpeas, corn, azuki beans, amaranth, and quinoa. Fermentation time ranges from as little as five days to several...
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