Amaranth grain

Uncommon card · No. 134436

Species belonging to the genus Amaranthus have been cultivated for their grains for 8,000 years. Amaranth plants are classified as pseudocereals that are grown for their edible starchy seeds, but they are not in the same botanical family as true cereals, such as wheat and rice. Amaranth species that are still used as a grain are Amaranthus caudatus L., Amaranthus cruentus L., and Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. The yield of grain amaranth is comparable to that of rice or maize. As a dual-purpose crop amaranth seeds and leaves are used for human and animal consumption; grain and leafy amaranths are gluten-free and contain protein, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and low-glycaemic-index carbohydrates. The grain was a staple food of the Aztecs and an integral part of Aztec religious ceremonies. The cultivation of amaranth was banned by the conquistadores upon their conquest of the Aztec nation. However, the plant has grown as a weed since then, so its genetic base has been largely...

Read on Wikipedia · Image CC BY-SA 2.0 de