What is amaranth?

Amaranth is an ancient food of the Aztecs and Mayans of Central America that is currently being "rediscovered." Amaranth, a member of the Amaranthaceae family, is a beautiful broad-leaved bushy plant that reaches a height of 5 to 7 feet. It has a dramatic flower head composed of a profusion of small deep red or magenta clover like flowers - in fact, the name "amaranth" comes from the Greek for "never-fading flower." Once considered a weed, amaranth is now acknowledged as a highly nutritious food; it is grown both as a vegetable for its leaves and as a grain for its seeds.

Each amaranth plant is capable of producing 40,000 to 60,000 tiny, lens-shaped seeds. The seed heads, which look like very full corn tassels, create a striking mass of color - most often a golden to creamy tan, although, like the leaves, the seeds can range in color from buff to dark purple, deep red, green, orange, pink, and white. Acclaimed as the "miracle grain" of the Aztecs, amaranth is actually not a grain at all, but an annual herb that is a close cousin of pigweed (a common garden weed also known as lamb's quarters), the garden plant cockscomb, and the tumbleweeds of the American Southwest. Approximately 60 species of amaranth are grown in North and South America for both leaf and seed rather than as a vegetable. Since amaranth kernels are so tiny, with pinhead-size seeds even smaller than poppy seeds, a pound of amaranth may contain upward of 750,000 seeds.

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Like quinoa, amaranth is a New World superfood that's gluten-free and packed with protein (9 grams per cup) and fiber. Amaranth is also rich in iron, magnesium, and manganese. It takes on a rich, pudding-like texture when cooked. Try it instead of cornmeal in polenta, or in place of rice in rice pudding.

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