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Amaranth is an Ancient Grain, But Its Taste and Beauty Never Get Old
- Bob Benenson
- Jul 28
- 3 min read
Sighting at Chicago's Just Roots Farm Prompts a Deeper Dive
Amaranth, an ancient grain closely associated with the Aztecs, is a pretty rare sight on farms in the Great Lakes region. A warm weather crop, it is grown in commercial quantities in places closer to the equator, such as Mexico, Central America, South Asia and parts of Africa.
So during my most recent bi-weekly CSA pickup at Just Roots Farm on Chicago's South Side, I was pleased to find a patch of beautifully flowering amaranth, and not just in its most familiar fuchsia color, but also gold and pink.
I am sure there are a number of Local Food Forum who (like me) are well aware of amaranth and have eaten it. I also assume that this isn't the most familiar food crop, so I am sharing some details with the help of a post from the Boston-based Oldways Whole Grains Council.
According to that post, amaranth is a pseudocereal that "makes up for what it lacks in size and perhaps recognition by packing a nutritional punch." The piece notes that this ancient plant is mentioned in Aesop's fables and Paradise Lost by John Milton and was described by the Aztecs as the “food of immortality.” The Council adds that "this resilient and visually striking plant has recently gained popularity in the health food scene."
The article continues:
The most robust record of amaranth comes from the Aztec empire, which dominated central Mexico in the 15th and 16th centuries AD. Amaranth was one of the three major crops collected, along with maize and beans, as tribute from the 17 provinces that made up the Empire. The historical records show that much of the amaranth collected was used for ceremonial purposes, unlike maize and beans which were largely collected for consumption...
Sweet snacks made from popped amaranth mixed with a binding agent such as honey are still a popular way of consuming amaranth in Central and South America today.
The article says that "to cook amaranth, combine one cup of dried grain with 2 cups of liquid. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes yielding 2.5 cups of cooked grain... Amaranth is great in porridge or polenta style recipes. It can also be popped like popcorn! Amaranth has a peppery taste with a pleasantly sweet, grassy aroma. It pairs well with squash, corn, sesame, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate... One serving of cooked amaranth (¼ cup, uncooked) has 180 calories, 3 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein."
And it sure is healthy to eat: "It is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids, and at 14% protein, it contains close to double the amount found in rice and corn. In fact, researchers in Guatemala found it to be one of the most nutritious plant-based proteins. The benefits of amaranth’s protein do not stop there – amaranth also contains lunasin, a peptide believed to have anti-inflammatory and cancer-preventive benefits. If you have celiac disease, remember amaranth is one of many great gluten free grain options!"
I don't know if any of Just Roots' amaranth will end up in one of my CSA hauls, but I'll be looking for sources to buy it in our area.
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