| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,554 kJ (371 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 65 g |
| - Sugars | 1.7 g |
| - Dietary fiber | 7 g |
| Fat | 7 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Water | 11 g |
| Thiamine (vit. B1) | 0.1 mg (9%) |
| Riboflavin (vit. B2) | 0.2 mg (17%) |
| Niacin (vit. B3) | 0.9 mg (6%) |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 1.5 mg (30%) |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.6 mg (46%) |
| Folate (vit. B9) | 82 μg (21%) |
| Calcium | 159 mg (16%) |
| Iron | 7.6 mg (58%) |
| Magnesium | 248 mg (70%) |
| Manganese | 3.4 mg (162%) |
| Phosphorus | 557 mg (80%) |
| Potassium | 508 mg (11%) |
| Zinc | 2.9 mg (31%) |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
|
| 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 |
| Water | 75 g |
| Thiamine (vit. B1) | 0.02 mg (2%) |
| Riboflavin (vit. B2) | 0.02 mg (2%) |
| Niacin (vit. B3) | 0.24 mg (2%) |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg (8%) |
| Folate (vit. B9) | 22 μg (6%) |
| Calcium | 47 mg (5%) |
| Iron | 2.1 mg (16%) |
| Magnesium | 65 mg (18%) |
| Manganese | 0.9 mg (43%) |
| Phosphorus | 148 mg (21%) |
| Potassium | 135 mg (3%) |
| Zinc | 0.9 mg (9%) |
| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
|
Amaranth has been cultivated as a grain for 8,000 years. [1] The yield of grain amaranth is comparable to rice or maize. It was a staple food of the Aztecs, and was used as an integral part of Aztec religious ceremonies. The cultivation of amaranth was banned by the conquistadores upon their conquest of the Aztec nation. Because the plant has continued to grow as a weed since that time, its genetic base has been largely maintained. Research on grain amaranth began in the US in the 1970s. By the end of the 1970s, a few thousand acres were being cultivated.[2] Much of the grain currently grown is sold in health food shops.
Grain amaranth is also grown as a food crop in limited amounts in Mexico, where it is used to make a candy called alegría (Spanish for happiness) at festival times. Amaranth species that are still used as a grain are: Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus cruentus, and Amaranthus hypochondriacus. The grain is popped and mixed with honey. In Maharashtra state of India, it is called “Rajgira” (राजगीरा) in the Marathi language. The popped grain is mixed with melted jaggery in proper proportion to make iron and energy rich “laddus,” a popular food provided at the Mid-day Meal Program in municipal schools.
Amaranth grain can also be used to extract amaranth oil - a particularly valued pressed seed oil with many commercial uses.
As the following table shows, in a raw form, grain amaranth has many nutrients.[3][4]
Raw amaranth grain, however, isn't edible and can not be digested. Amaranth grain must be prepared and cooked like other grains. Another table below suggests cooked amaranth is a competing and promising source of nutrition when compared to wheat bread, higher in some nutrients and lower in others.
Notable nutritional content attributes of raw amaranth grain include:-
| Synopsis[11] ~ composition: | Amaranth[12] | Wheat[13] | Rice[14] | Sweetcorn[15] | Potato[16] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component (per 100g portion) | Amount | Amount | Amount | Amount | Amount |
| water (g) | 11 | 11 | 12 | 76 | 82 |
| energy (kJ) | 1554 | 1506 | 1527 | 360 | 288 |
| protein (g) | 14 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 1.7 |
| fat (g) | 7 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0.1 |
| carbohydrates (g) | 65 | 52 | 79 | 19 | 16 |
| fiber (g) | 7 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 |
| sugars (g) | 1.7 | <0.1 | >0.1 | 3 | 1.2 |
| iron (mg) | 7.6 | 6.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| manganese (mg) | 3.4 | 13.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| calcium (mg) | 159 | 39 | 28 | 2 | 9 |
| magnesium (mg) | 248 | 239 | 25 | 37 | 21 |
| phosphorus (mg) | 557 | 842 | 115 | 89 | 62 |
| potassium (mg) | 508 | 892 | 115 | 270 | 407 |
| zinc (mg) | 2.9 | 12.3 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| pantothenic acid (mg) | 1.5 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 |
| vitB6 (mg) | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| folate (µg) | 82 | 281 | 8 | 42 | 18 |
| thiamin (mg) | 0.1 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| riboflavin (mg) | 0.2 | 0.5 | >0.1 | 0.1 | >0.1 |
| niacin (mg) | 0.9 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
The table below presents nutritional values of cooked, edible form of amaranth grain to cooked, edible form of wheat grain as reported by United States Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23 (2010).
| Synopsis[17] ~ composition: | Amaranth grain, cooked[18] | Bread, wheat germ[19] |
|---|---|---|
| Component (per 100g portion) | Amount | Amount |
| water (g) | 75 | 37 |
| energy (kJ) | 429 | 1092 |
| protein (g) | 4 | 10 |
| fat (g) | 2 | 3 |
| carbohydrates (g) | 19 | 48 |
| fiber (g) | 2 | 2 |
| sugars (g) | n/a | 4 |
| iron (mg) | 2.1 | 3.5 |
| manganese (mg) | 0.85 | 0.85 |
| calcium (mg) | 47 | 89 |
| magnesium (mg) | 65 | 28 |
| phosphorus (mg) | 148 | 121 |
| potassium (mg) | 135 | 254 |
| zinc (mg) | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| pantothenic acid (mg) | <0.1 | 0.5 |
| vitB6 (mg) | 0.11 | 0.08 |
| folate (µg) | 22 | 118 |
| thiamin (mg) | <0.1 | 0.4 |
| riboflavin (mg) | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| niacin (mg) | 0.24 | 4.5 |
Amaranth from its start as a plant has literally a worldwide population currently where there are varieties for greens, varieties for grain, combinations and even ornamentals. The Great Plains has seen a surge in this crop from Rodale Farms developed varieties.
Amaranthus retroflexus, or pigweed, is a wild amaranth species in the United States. The name derives from the plant's tendency to sprout where hogs are pasture fed. Although both the leaves and seeds are edible, pigweed has not been cultivated as a food crop.
The virtue of amaranth is in light soils, it will produce food under harsh and lackluster nutrient conditions much like grain sorghum. It is a very efficient grain crop.