THIS IS A POST IN PROGRESS - MORE DETAILS AND PICTURES COMING SOON Amaranth A.K.A. Red Root or Pigweed Botanical Amaranthus retroflexus Type: Annual Parts: Tender leaves, seeds For: Salad, cooked green, flour (from seeds). Sometimes called pigweed or red root, this common garden “weed” is actually a valuable herb. Amaranth grows best in recently cultivated ground. Amaranth seed’s protein content has been found to be as high as 18%. This is higher than most other grains. Combining amaranth with other, more common grains can boost their nutritional value. Amaranth is high in lysine. This is 1 of 3 (lysine, tryptophan and methionine) important amino acids required to form a complete protein. Most other grains are low in lysine and high in tryptophan & methionine amino acids. This means that a food with high lysine levels needs to be included in a meal to receive a complete protein. Meats or beans (both high in lysine) are usually recommended to achieve this. But if Americans ate more amaranth mixed in their grains this would not be a problem. Amaranth seeds can be cooked like rice and eaten or when thoroughly dried, can be ground into flour and mixed with other grains to create a more complex protein source. The seeds contain beta carotene, B-complex, vitamins C & E, niacin, riboflavin and many important minerals including calcium and iron. The wild seeds are dark in color. A lighter colored seed variety of amaranth is available commercially. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or steamed, sautéed or simmered until tender.
Is it Red Root or Pigweed? Neither it's Amaranth!
Is it Red Root or Pigweed? Neither it's…
Is it Red Root or Pigweed? Neither it's Amaranth!
THIS IS A POST IN PROGRESS - MORE DETAILS AND PICTURES COMING SOON Amaranth A.K.A. Red Root or Pigweed Botanical Amaranthus retroflexus Type: Annual Parts: Tender leaves, seeds For: Salad, cooked green, flour (from seeds). Sometimes called pigweed or red root, this common garden “weed” is actually a valuable herb. Amaranth grows best in recently cultivated ground. Amaranth seed’s protein content has been found to be as high as 18%. This is higher than most other grains. Combining amaranth with other, more common grains can boost their nutritional value. Amaranth is high in lysine. This is 1 of 3 (lysine, tryptophan and methionine) important amino acids required to form a complete protein. Most other grains are low in lysine and high in tryptophan & methionine amino acids. This means that a food with high lysine levels needs to be included in a meal to receive a complete protein. Meats or beans (both high in lysine) are usually recommended to achieve this. But if Americans ate more amaranth mixed in their grains this would not be a problem. Amaranth seeds can be cooked like rice and eaten or when thoroughly dried, can be ground into flour and mixed with other grains to create a more complex protein source. The seeds contain beta carotene, B-complex, vitamins C & E, niacin, riboflavin and many important minerals including calcium and iron. The wild seeds are dark in color. A lighter colored seed variety of amaranth is available commercially. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or steamed, sautéed or simmered until tender.