Health Benefits Of Amaranth Seeds
Amaranth is a tall plant with very broad
leaves. Each plant produces thousands of seeds. Amaranth
is an ancient grain used by the pre Columbian Aztecs and
also in India . It was used in several interesting ways.
The Aztecs used it to make a beer, the leaves were
boiled or fried, the seeds were popped like popcorn, and
the flour was used in various ways, include brutal
religious ceremonies.
For this reason, the early Christian missionaries
declared that amaranth was evil and all amaranth that
was found was destroyed. Fortunately, some remote
villages in Peru and Mexico continued to cultivate it,
or it would be extinct.
Amaranth flour can be used to make some different
delicious and cookies. It requires the addition of other
flours in order to use for making breads. It is high in
iron, protein, and has three times the calcium of milk.
Several amaranth products are available in health food
stores.
R.D.
Amaranth, 1/2 cup
| Nutrient
|
Units
|
.5 X 1 cup
-------
97.5g
|
| Proximates
|
| Water
|
g
|
9.59
|
| Energy
|
kcal
|
365
|
| Energy
|
kj
|
1526
|
| Protein
|
g
|
14.09
|
| Total lipid (fat)
|
g
|
6.35
|
| Ash
|
g
|
2.96
|
| Carbohydrate, by difference
|
g
|
64.52
|
| Fiber, total dietary
|
g
|
9.1
|
| Minerals
|
| Calcium, Ca
|
mg
|
149
|
| Iron, Fe
|
mg
|
7.40
|
| Magnesium, Mg
|
mg
|
259
|
| Phosphorus, P
|
mg
|
444
|
| Potassium, K
|
mg
|
357
|
| Sodium, Na
|
mg
|
20
|
| Zinc, Zn
|
mg
|
3.10
|
| Copper, Cu
|
mg
|
0.758
|
| Manganese, Mn
|
mg
|
2.203
|
| Vitamins
|
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
|
mg
|
4.1
|
| Thiamin
|
mg
|
0.078
|
| Riboflavin
|
mg
|
0.203
|
| Niacin
|
mg
|
1.254
|
| Pantothenic acid
|
mg
|
1.021
|
| Vitamin B-6
|
mg
|
0.217
|
| Folate, total
|
mcg
|
48
|
| Folic acid
|
mcg
|
0
|
| Folate, food
|
mcg
|
48
|
| Folate, DFE
|
mcg_DFE
|
48
|
| Vitamin B-12
|
mcg
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin B-12, added
|
mcg
|
0.00
|
| Vitamin A, IU
|
IU
|
0
|
| Vitamin A, RAE
|
mcg_RAE
|
0
|
| Retinol
|
mcg
|
0
|
| Lipids
|
| Fatty acids, total saturated
|
g
|
1.620
|
| 14:0
|
g
|
0.011
|
| 16:0
|
g
|
1.252
|
| 18:0
|
g
|
0.214
|
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated
|
g
|
1.397
|
| 18:1 undifferentiated
|
g
|
1.397
|
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated
|
g
|
2.819
|
| 18:2 undifferentiated
|
g
|
2.763
|
| 18:3 undifferentiated
|
g
|
0.056
|
| Cholesterol
|
mg
|
0
|
| Phytosterols
|
mg
|
23
|
| Amino acids
|
| Tryptophan
|
g
|
0.176
|
| Threonine
|
g
|
0.544
|
| Isoleucine
|
g
|
0.567
|
| Leucine
|
g
|
0.857
|
| Lysine
|
g
|
0.728
|
| Methionine
|
g
|
0.220
|
| Cystine
|
g
|
0.186
|
| Phenylalanine
|
g
|
0.528
|
| Tyrosine
|
g
|
0.321
|
| Valine
|
g
|
0.662
|
| Arginine
|
g
|
1.034
|
| Histidine
|
g
|
0.379
|
| Alanine
|
g
|
0.779
|
| Aspartic acid
|
g
|
1.229
|
| Glutamic acid
|
g
|
2.203
|
| Glycine
|
g
|
1.595
|
| Proline
|
g
|
0.681
|
| Serine
|
g
|
1.119
|
| Other
|
| Alcohol, ethyl
|
g
|
0.0
|
USDA National Nutrient Database
for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005)>
|