Amaranth groats: what are the benefits and harm, how to cook?

Amaranth cereal is a cereal used for cooking for about eight centuries, which has many useful properties and does not contain gluten. For constant use in food, it is better to learn how to cook a product in order to preserve and use its healing properties, not to harm the body.

The roots of the ancient amaranth plant go down in history for several millennia. Facts and evidence of grain are found in archaeological excavations on the territory of the Latin American continent, dated to the fourth millennium BC. In translation, "amaranth" means "immortal" plant. Initially, the culture was used for food purposes, as it was distinguished by high yields. In the sixteenth century, amaranth was introduced to other regions of the planet. During this period, its cultivation began to decline and move into the category of ornamental, garden plants.

In Russia, this grass appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century, after visiting N.I. Vavilov of Mexico. This prompted the scientist and breeder to study the properties of amaranth seeds, to come closer to the spread of agriculture. Prior to this, everyone knew the wild variety of the plant - shiritsu, which has no value for humans. Currently, there are more than sixty species of amaranth: cultural, wild, forage and other varieties used in various fields.

Amaranth - a source of magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, vitamins, macro-and micronutrients. The use of nutritious seeds for food and medicinal purposes is great for the body.

• The content of a large amount of soluble and insoluble fiber has a good effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract: improves its motility, activates the microflora, nourishes the walls of the intestinal vessels, neutralizes inflammatory processes.
• The amino acids tryptophan, lysine, rutin, magnesium, and vitamin E present in the seeds improve the functioning of the cardiovascular and circulatory systems. These trace elements have a positive effect on blood clotting, the quality of blood vessels, work to normalize blood pressure, protect against varicose veins.
• The content in the croup of the amino acid lysine contributes to a better absorption of calcium, which is necessary for a person, and this affects the state of the musculoskeletal system, the condition of hair, nails, prevents osteoporosis.

• Amaranth seeds can be consumed during diets and during weight loss. Fiber, which slows down the digestion of food, reduces appetite, accelerates food saturation. A high percentage of protein present in the croup reduces the hormone of hunger, does not allow sharp jumps in the blood sugar index.
• Vitamin groups act as antioxidants, have a positive effect on hormonal balance, strengthen the immune system, protect against viral diseases, and reduce the existing inflammatory processes in the body.
• People with autoimmune diseases can easily replace cereals and their products, which include gluten, with amaranth seeds.

The value of culture is hard to overestimate, but with constant use you need to take into account possible negative points.

• Elementary individual intolerance of the components will spoil the impression of amaranth: there may be side effects in the form of bloating and unpleasant sensations in the stomach, diarrhea, nausea.
• It is better to refrain from frequent use to people with exacerbations of gastric and intestinal diseases, since amaranth is difficult to digest.To facilitate this process, the grits can be soaked or germinated before use: this will reduce or strongly neutralize the amount of phytic acid in the product.
• People suffering from gallstone disease, pancreatic disease, pancreatitis, before using the product from amaranth should consult with a specialist.

Foods from amaranth seeds are rarely found in the restaurants menu, although cereals can bring many nutrients and benefits to our health. It is used in the form of cereals, sweets, meatballs, side dishes, bread, muffins, salads, soups and other dishes.

Various cooking technologies allow you to cook and store the maximum amount of useful substances in the product, but these properties are best manifested when raw cereals are used. The most affordable way to prepare amaranth is seed germination. To do this, soak the cereal for several hours (up to 5 hours), after which the water is drained and the seeds are washed several times. It is best to germinate at room temperature when wet (not in water), sometimes irrigating for two or three days. The finished product is added to salads, soups, smoothies or used with seasonings, sauces, olive oil.

Breakfast cereal will be tastier if you add dried fruits, candied fruits, jam, fresh berries or fruits, other delicious ingredients. It improves the taste of porridge also honey or cinnamon. Boil grits need in the ratio of one to five. If one cup of cereal is boiled in two glasses of water, then after cooking the finished porridge will need to be rinsed off viscosity. The seeds are poured into boiling salted or sweet water, boiled for twenty minutes while stirring. The dish should have a delicate structure.

Our body is always happy to get a vitamin complex. Smoothies quickly fill it with energy, vigor, health. The combination of two kiwis, two fragrant pears, two teaspoons of amaranth seeds and one hundred milliliters of pure water in one glass of pulp will replace a full, low-calorie, nutritious breakfast.

Unusual vegetable soup with seeds of schiritsy will surprise you with its exquisite taste. One carrot, a bunch of celery and one onion are thinly sliced ​​and fried until soft in olive oil. Next to these vegetables add two hundred grams of finely chopped pumpkin pulp and boiled chicken meat. All fry another five minutes and shift to the broth. Cook another fifteen minutes. After cooling the soup, grind it in a blender. Separately boiled amaranth seeds are added to each plate with a few drops of olive oil.

Wholesome gluten free bread made from amaranth and nuts will give you energy for the whole day. The baking recipe includes one cup of cooked cereals, two glasses of any gluten-free flour (buckwheat, millet, millet, almond, corn, quinoa), one without top a tablespoon of baking powder, one hundred grams of walnuts (ground), three tablespoons of honey, two eggs , two tablespoons of vegetable oil. All the ingredients are well mixed, poured into a mold and baked for about forty minutes at a temperature of one hundred and eighty degrees.

Delicious and nutritious can be cooked patties from boiled seeds of amaranth and carrots (one hundred grams), boiled peas and potatoes (three hundred grams), two eggs. All the ingredients are mixed, add salt, pepper. Formed patties are rolled in chopped oatmeal and fried in vegetable oil.

For a snack just prepare chips and bread. The composition of the recipe includes two glasses of dry cereal, four glasses of water, olive oil, pepper, salt, spices.Boiled and cooled amaranth porridge is laid out in a thin layer on parchment paper, sprinkled with salt, pepper and aromatic herbs to taste. Dry bread for ten hours at a temperature of forty-five degrees. After cooling, the loaves are cut or broken into pieces.

Sometimes you want to pamper yourself and your family with delicious and healthy cookies with a nutty flavor. In a mixture of sifted amaranth flour (two hundred grams) and corn starch (one hundred fifty grams) add soda (one teaspoon), citric acid (half teaspoon), butter (one hundred grams), vanilla sugar. Separately, beat two eggs with two hundred grams of sugar and pour into the dry mixture (crumb). The resulting dough is wrapped in film and left in the room for thirty minutes, after which we roll out half a centimeter thick, cut out the cookies in forms. Baked all seven minutes at a temperature of one hundred and eighty degrees. The cooled delicacy goes well with lemon or orange glaze.

Fans of natural, healthy products know and consume amaranth cereal, they use it in the usual diet in parallel with health and medical programs. In some cases, natural food is more effective than medical drugs. Often with long-term use of amaranth cereals, the immunity is strengthened, and colds recede.

How to make amaranth porridge, see the next video.