Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Amaranths are divided into three main categories by use: grain, leaf vegetable, and ornamental. Grain
amaranths are ancient crop plants that came into being mainly in the Andes. They are an increasingly
important component of global nutrition. Grain amaranth seeds can be cooked like rice, steamed, roas-
ted, or ground for soups. In Europe, puffed amaranth is a popular ingredient in granola bars and crack-
ers.
Amaranthus hypochondriacus
and a subspecies of
A. caudatus
are among the grain amaranths; the
latter, known to the Incas as
quihuicha
(kee-
wee
-cha), was one of the most important foods to South
American Indians.
Amaranth seeds
Many amaranths develop large ornamental masses of soft, fine leaves, colored green to red, with
many uses, including medicinal. Leaves and shoots can be used for soups and stirfry. In India, young
shoots and peeled side growth on older plants are used like asparagus. Dark red varieties of
Amaran-
thus cruentus
are used in India as well as other parts of the world as dye plants.
Overview of
Amaranthus
species
SPECIES
COMMON NAME
USE
A. lividus
amaranth, wild amaranth, pigweed, purple amaranth
leaf vegetable,
ornamental
A. tricolor
amaranth, red amaranth, Chinese spinach, Joseph's coat leaf vegetable,
ornamental
A. cruentus
amaranth, blood amaranth, red amaranth, purple amar-
anth, African spinach, Indian spinach
grain, leaf veget-
able, ornamental
A. hypochondriacus
amaranth, prince's feather
grain, ornamental
A. hybridus
smooth amaranth, smooth pigweed, red amaranth
grain, leaf veget-
able, medicinal
