Amaranth: description, types and properties of plants

Recently, more and more you can hear about amaranth grains and flour.What is an amaranth, what parts of it can be eaten, and most importantly - what is it recommended to do, we will tell in this article.

Amaranth is a herbaceous plant, which is called one of the most ancient of those that is cultivated by man. Amaranth is a medicinal plant of the amaranth family. Often the plant can be found at the dacha, where it looks and is perceived as a weed. Although there are decorative varieties of it.

Today, there are about 100 plant varieties that have minor external differences. In general, amaranth has large, slightly elongated oval-shaped leaves and beautiful reddish-crimson velvety inflorescences. At the end of the flowering period, the inflorescences are transformed into seed boxes.

Depending on the species, the plant can be both annual and perennial 0.7-1.5 m high.

Amaranth’s homeland is South America, where it is cultivated as one of the main crops. Amaranth here appears not only as a food product, but also used for medicinal purposes. Having appeared in South America, amaranth gradually gained popularity in Mexico, India. He came to Europe only in the 16th century, where almost 2.5 centuries was grown exclusively as an ornamental plant.

The healing properties of amaranth are due to the richness of its chemical composition. It contains vitamins such as A, E, D, B. It is noteworthy that vitamin E here has its most active and most easily digestible form - tocotrienol. Trace elements are represented by zinc, iron, selenium, barium, copper. In addition, there are such macronutrients as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus.

Rich in plant and biologically active flavonoids, the most famous among which are rutin, quercetin, glycosides. There is also an antioxidant called amarantin, as well as carotenoids. The unique carbohydrate squalene, which is considered a precursor of steroids, has an antioxidant effect.

A quarter of the composition of proteins. Having a vegetative nature, they are better absorbed in comparison with animal proteins. Up to 15% of the composition is occupied by amino acids, among which are both non-replaceable and non-essential. Separately, it is worth to highlight among them arginine, lysine, albumin, tryptophan, globulin and others. In amaranth there are also phytosterols, which are close in their action to certain hormones of the human body.

Amaranth oil is one of the most expensive, due to the difficulty and cost of its production and unique properties. The latter are largely due to the presence of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids in oil, as well as oleic, stearic, linolenic acids.

Amaranth contains lipids and triglycerides, there are also beta cyanine pigments.

The protein content of amaranth grain "overtake" soybeans and wheat. 100 g of seeds about 14 g of protein. The main part of the composition is slow carbohydrates (68 g per 100 g of product). The amount of fat is minimal and is 7 g. Almost as much in amaranth fiber, slightly more (11 g) - water.

There are 4 main groups of plants - decorative amaranth, grain, vegetable and fodder. In general, all these species can be eaten and used for external use. The important point - there is also a wild amaranth, which the people have received the name "schiritsa". Please note, ordinary (wild) schyritsa is not used for food!

Feed intended for feeding livestock. They are nutritious and can generally be used for human consumption. However, their stems and leaves are quite tough, so it is wiser to use amaranth grain and vegetable varieties for this purpose.Vegetables have a more tender and juicy above-ground part, so they are added to salads, sandwiches, etc. There are varieties that can be grown year-round in room conditions. Such can be called paniculate, or crimson amaranth, which differs in the small size of the bush.

The main crop of grain amaranth - seeds, similar in appearance to small eggs. They are made from cereals, used for germination, produce flour and butter. As a result of the creation of the latter, a byproduct is formed - the meal. Sometimes some healers use it to cleanse the intestines, although for this you can choose more useful formulations.

The leaves of grain amaranth can also be eaten, but it is better to do it while it is young and rather tender. As the grains mature, the leaves and stalks of such a plant grow coarser and lose their healing and taste properties. Decorative amaranth can also be used. Its leaves are often put in salads and soups, but in terms of its useful elements it loses to the grain and vegetable "fellows".

Own forces usually grow ornamental and vegetable amaranth. The yield obtained from the latter is usually sufficient to use it seasonally and to prepare it for future use. Growing grain amaranth is also possible, the plant is characterized by unpretentiousness, but in order to get a tangible harvest they will have to plant at least 3-4 weave. Given this, it is much more rational to buy cereals in the store.

Among the edible types of shiritsa, the following should be highlighted.

• "Paniculate". It is also called bloody because of the reddish tint of leaves and inflorescences. The leaves before flowering and at the very beginning of it are collected for brewing further medicinal teas, decoctions, making tinctures.
• "Chinese spinach", or "Tricolor" amaranth. Already from the name it is clear that this type is fresh in taste as additives in salads, snacks. The color of the leaves is bright red, green, yellow, and therefore the plant also serves as an ornament to the site.
• "Caudate". This variety has received this name because of the characteristic feature of the inflorescences - they are quite long and hanging, resemble tails. Young leaves are used for food, older ones can be considered as fodder.

In the food used seeds and leaves of the plant. The first ones are used for making porridges, and being ground into powder, they form amaranth flour.

Since the composition of seeds and leaves varies somewhat, their properties and indications for use are also different. Thus, the seeds are rich in vitamin D and calcium, which suggests their benefits for the skeleton and teeth. Seeds are especially useful during the period of calcium deficiency - after suffering injuries and surgeries, during pregnancy and during recovery after it, during active growth and in old age.

Seeds (of which they boil porridge or are consumed raw, having previously germinated) have an antioxidant effect, and are capable of binding free radicals. The latter are believed to provoke the emergence of tumors in the body. Thus, amaranth can be considered croup, which has an anti-cancer effect.

Magnesium and calcium with iron are equally distributed in the composition of cereals and leaves, which ensures their beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Thanks to antioxidants, cholesterol levels and the likelihood of developing cholesterol plaques on blood vessels are reduced.In addition, vascular walls are strengthened, they become more elastic, which is one of the factors reducing the risk of thrombosis. Potassium and magnesium have a strengthening effect on the heart muscle, improving its conductivity and normalizing the cycle. Iron in the composition allows you to maintain an optimal level of hemoglobin, which means that the blood carries a sufficient amount of oxygen to the tissues.

As a consequence of the improvement of cardiovascular activity, pressure is normalized, the risk of developing heart attacks and strokes, and atherosclerosis is reduced. Maintaining the functionality of the adrenal cortex, amaranth controls hormone synthesis. In addition, its positive effect on the liver and nervous system has been proven.

Amaranth porridges do not contain gluten, so allergies are rarely found on porridges of them. They become a source of energy and strength, because they contain carbohydrates and protein in large quantities. In addition, the grain improves intestinal motility, which is associated with the presence in the composition of dietary fiber. The latter, passing through the intestines and not being digested, increase its activity and remove toxins and slags from the body. Like any fiber-containing food, amaranth porridge can cope with constipation. Since its content is rather average, the laxative effect is not very pronounced.

Proper digestion is the key to the proper metabolic and lipid (fat) exchange processes. But it is precisely metabolic disorders become one of the most frequent causes of excess weight and illness.

Amaranth grains are good for those who want to lose weight, and for those who play sports and are committed to building muscle. First, porridge is very nourishing and nutritious, gives a long feeling of fullness. Secondly, it contains slow carbohydrates, which in the splitting give strength and energy. Thirdly, the protein from its composition becomes a building material for muscles, organs, enzymes. Finally, even the fats in these grains are useful, since they are also converted into energy, and are involved in the synthesis of sex hormones. Amaranth does not contain “bad” cholesterol and trans fat.

Finally, amaranth grain contains sodium, which regulates the water-salt balance in the body. In addition, grains help maintain acid-base harmony.

The use of amaranth grains when choosing one or another dietary food allows you to avoid an imbalance of vitamins and minerals, which inevitably occurs with strict diets.

The leaves contain unique substances that are similar to sex hormones, and also improve the human reproductive system. In general, they also have a positive effect on human hormones. Leaves are especially useful for women - they help to normalize the cycle, increase the chances of getting pregnant, and also reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. During pregnancy, the juice or leaves of the plant strengthen the body of the future mother and participate in the formation of the spinal cord and brain of the fetus.

Amaranth leaves are useful for people with diabetes. They regulate the work of the adrenal glands, stimulating insulin production, while having a low glycemic index. Due to the presence of fiber amaranth leaves slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood.Using them with grains also allows you to maintain metabolic processes. And with sugar disease, metabolic disturbances often occur and, as a result, obesity.

The leaves are often brewed for colds, because this drink has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, helps to reduce the temperature. In addition, due to the immunostimulating action, support for a weakened immunity occurs. Finally, amaranth leaves have a disinfecting effect and promote sputum secretion, which makes them useful for the treatment of respiratory organs.

Due to the latter characteristic, leaves are used to treat bronchitis, tuberculosis, asthma. They will help with angina, dry cough, sore throat with a cold.

Leaves, like grains, have a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels. They also have bactericidal and antifungal properties. Amaranth juice is a source of vitamins and microelements, it is especially useful for weakened immunity, as well as for children during growth. As an external agent, diluted juice and leaf-based decoction are used to treat eczema, psoriasis, and infectious dermatological diseases. They will have an anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect on bedsores and burns.

Thanks to the powerful antioxidant effect, juice and leaves, as well as amaranth oil, can be used as a basis for anti-aging care. With a combination of external and internal use, aging processes are slowed down, retains skin turgor.

In the fight against high cholesterol and vascular disease is best to use oil. It is obtained from the land part of the plant and it is a concentrate of leaves in its content.

Antioxidant properties of the oil are also significantly (almost 50 times) higher than those of leaves and seeds. That is, as a prophylaxis of oncological ailments and anti-aging product, it is worth consuming just oil.

The plant is contraindicated for outdoor and indoor use with allergies and individual intolerance to amaranth. As a rule, it is manifested by abdominal pains, abnormal stool, skin itching and hyperemia, headaches. But nausea and slight dizziness after the first "sessions" of using amaranth in some cases are normal reactions. Their occurrence is associated with a high biological activity of the plant, which saturates the body with oxygen. Gradually, unpleasant symptoms will diminish and pass away on their own. Reduce it will help reduce the received dosage of grains or leaves.

You should not take it inside with an exacerbation of diseases of the digestive tract, acute pancreatitis. The use of urolithiasis can cause the displacement of stones and, consequently, pain and blockage of the urinary tract. The patient in this case may require urgent surgical treatment.

Cholecystitis and gluten enteropathy may also be a contraindication to the use of amaranth. Children's age, as well as the period of pregnancy, lactation are not a contraindication to the use of amaranth. It is believed that a teaspoon of diluted plant juice can be given to babies, starting from the age of one. This will strengthen their immunity, provide the necessary level of calcium in the body and almost completely replenish the daily dose in the protein, and this protein will be easily digestible.

You can eat amaranth seeds and leaves, drink juice from its greenery, prepare oil and flour from grains, which are also widely used in cooking.

Amaranth grains can be cooked as a porridge in water or milk to get a healthy breakfast or a crumbly side dish. Pre-grain should be sorted, rinsed and soaked in water for 3-4 hours, you can overnight.

Then the grains are poured with hot water, brought to a boil and, after turning down the heat, languish for another 20-25 minutes. On 1 part of the grain is usually taken 2.5-3 cups of liquid. As the latter, water, milk, vegetable or weak meat broth can be used.

Amaranth grains themselves have a neutral taste, so they “accept” the flavor characteristics of the dishes with which they are served. Among the successful "companions" are vegetables, fish, meat, and seafood. If you prefer sweet cereals, the grains can be boiled in a mixture of milk and water (they will burn with one milk) by adding dried fruits and fresh fruits with berries, pumpkin, chocolate paste. Honey can be used as a sweetener.

Also, grains can be used to make casseroles (their taste is very high - from hearty meat or fish, to light, souffle-like casseroles with sour cream and vegetables). Amaranth grains can be used as breading or added to salads, milk or vegetable shakes and smoothies.

Amaranth leaves are usually added to the soup. This dish is even one of the national Indian dishes. To save the maximum benefit of the plant in this case allows its short heat treatment - usually the leaves are put at the end of cooking.

Despite the fact that the grains retain most of their healing properties even during cooking, the most useful, of course, will be raw. However, there are them in this form is impossible, therefore eat sprouted amaranth.

To do this, the grains are sorted and washed, and then placed in a container, the bottom of which is made by gauze. It is folded in 3-4 layers and moistened. Grains should lie evenly, it is important to avoid knocking them in a room. Top layer is covered with gauze (fold it is no longer necessary). As the gauze dries, it should be moistened. It is important to observe accuracy and moderation. If “watered” amaranth is too active, the grains will become moldy, if they are not often enough, they will dry out. For these purposes it is convenient to use a spray.

If everything is done correctly, then after 2-3 days the first green will appear. You can use the seedlings for 3-7 days after their appearance. For general improvement and strengthening of the body, it is enough to eat a tablespoon of sprouts every morning. You can mix them with honey.

Amaranth flour is grains of plants ground to dust. They retain all the same wealth of chemical composition. The exception is a decrease in the amount of fiber. However, unlike classic wheat flour, amaranth still retains the dietary fiber.

In folk medicine is widely used amaranth infusion, which is prepared from a tablespoon of crushed dried leaves of the plant and 200 ml of hot water. Raw materials are poured with liquid and boiled in a water bath for a quarter of an hour.

The resulting solution can rinse the mouth and throat with stomatitis, sore throat, sore throat with a cold. You can moisten the tampons used to treat a number of gynecological diseases.

Amaranth juice is also effective for the treatment of throat. To obtain it, the leaves are crushed with a blender or scrolled through a meat grinder, after which the juice is obtained manually or with the help of a juicer. It is concentrated and not suitable for use in its pure form. It is diluted with water - 5 parts of water is taken for 1 part of fresh juice. This composition rinse the mouth and throat.

A similar composition is recommended for use in a bath for skin diseases. However, it is necessary to increase the volume of decoction - 2 glasses of water are taken for 300 ml of raw materials The rest of the cooking technology remains unchanged. Ready broth is poured into the bath, in which the patient is 15-20 minutes. The course of treatment is 2-3 months with a frequency of 2-3 procedures every week.

For treating the stomach, improving digestion, it is recommended to take the following decoction - 10 parts of water is taken for a portion of amaranth. The broth should be infused for 20 minutes, then filtered and taken in half a glass three times a day half an hour before meals.

Amaranth leaves can also be dried and brewed further on the basis of their tea. Aromatic varieties with red leaves, such as Valentina, are well suited for this.

Amaranth oil can be used for dressing salads, casseroles and cold appetizers, mixing it with olive oil, sour cream, sauces or lemon juice. Universal it will be for skin care. Combining the product with different components, you can solve certain skin problems. So, masks based on amaranth oil, honey and egg yolk help to cope with dry skin.

Amaranth flour, like grains, has a delicate nutty aftertaste. Due to the lack of gluten, gluten, the dough from it turns out loose. To avoid this, the combination of amaranth flour with wheat or rye or the use of a special additive, gluten, allows. The latter can be found in shops for culinary or health shops.

You can make bread and pancakes from flour, as well as PP-desserts - muffins, cakes, cookies. All of them will have a delicate nutty flavor and aroma. Combine well with such "snacks" creams from low-fat pasty cheese, sour cream, cream. You can add bran, carrot slices, sesame or flax seeds to baking to make healthy bread or nuts with dried fruits for desserts.

Fresh leaves in our country are more likely to be put in a salad, rather than making soup from them. Here amaranth performs the function of greens or lettuce. Previously, it should be blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. A small trick will help keep the beautiful reddish tint of the leaves after blanching. As soon as you get the leaves out of the boiling water, put them in cold (you can add ice cubes to it) water for a couple of minutes. Let the herbs dry and crumble into the salad.

No less tasty leaves in the composition of okroshka, summer soups. You can combine them with a grated egg and any vegetables.

Harvesting and harvesting amaranth is conducted depending on what kind of raw materials you want to receive. Since the amaranth itself is usually cultivated for the production of leaves, let us consider in more detail the technology of their preparation.

They are usually harvested in June, after the plant has bloomed. To collect suitable large formed leaves of a length of 20 cm. They are not cut off, and cut with a knife diagonally, trying to damage the stem and neighboring leaves as little as possible. It is not necessary to cut more than 5-6 leaves from one plant, this may cause its weakening and death.

For the collection should choose the morning or evening hours. If we are talking about the first option, then morning dew should come off the leaves, but the sun still does not enter its active phase. In the evening, the leaves should be harvested after the sun activity decreases, but before the dew falls.

There are 2 ways to dry the workpiece.

• Finely chop the fresh leaves and arrange them in one layer on a dry surface in a slightly dark, well-ventilated room. Periodically, you can gently agitate and turn the workpiece for their uniform drying, hold until completely dry.
• You can collect several leaves in a bundle and hang it also in a dry and well ventilated place.As soon as the raw materials begin to crumble, the drying can be considered finished.

An important point - in nature there are poisonous varieties of amaranth. Of course, it is impossible to get poisoning from a single consumption of them, but if taken systematically, this herb can cause harm. Amaranth can be collected and used only with a firm conviction that this is precisely the healing view of the shiritsa. If you understand the herbs poorly, the best option is to buy ready-made dry raw materials at a pharmacy or health store.

Amaranth leaves can be prepared for the future by pickling, pickling and freezing. In the latter case, the leaves are whole or chopped cleaned in the freezer. You can put the leaves in a sterile jar, alternating the plant layer and a layer of salt. The last layer should be saline.

For marinating, amaranth leaves are also laid out in a pre-sterilized jar and poured with brine, consisting of water, salt and sugar. Cork the banks. Store salted and pickled product in the refrigerator, and added to salads and soups.

See how to plant amaranth and care for it in the next video.