amaranth

Amaranth is the generic name of the species that belong to the family group of amaranth. The etymology of the concept comes from a Greek word that refers to what never fades.

This genre refers to plants They have a stem of considerable thickness, with oblong leaves and flowers that, according to the variety, can have different colors. The height of the amaranths, native to India, can exceed one and a half meters.

Amaranth is characterized by its endurance. It can grow in humid regions where there is a lot of rainfall, but also in dry areas. For its nutritional uses, it is a plant cultivated throughout the world.

Thousands of years ago, the pre-Columbian cultures of the American continent already used amaranth in various gastronomic preparations, as one of the most important products of your diet, at the same level as beans and corn, largely thanks to its rich protein content. With the amaranth grains flour was made to make tortillas and breads. They were also used as cereal.

For their properties, amaranth was used as energizing Y healing food. Certain peoples also included it in rituals and they even considered it sacred: that is why it was among the products they placed in the graves of their dead. Faced with this situation, the Europeans who came to America prohibited its cultivation and consumption, in an attempt to distance the settlers from paganism and convert them to Catholicism.

The cultivation of the seed amaranth, therefore, dates from remote times; in some cases, several millennia ago. The medicinal properties of this plant are very important, since for centuries they have been used to treat various health disorders.

Something worth noting is that in recent times science has confirmed the validity of the healing properties that for centuries and millennia have been attributed to amaranth, and for that reason many people continue to take advantage of them. Besides being a good source of proteinIt also contains calcium, iron, natural vitamins (A, B, B1, B2, B3 and C), folic acid, niacin, phosphorus and amino acids (among which is lysine).

Some of its medicinal applications include the treatment of diarrhea, for which a infusion, or the prevention of overweight, thanks to its rich fiber content. On the other hand, it can also be beneficial in patients with diseases such as high blood pressure, colon cancer, osteoporosis, hepatic encephalopathy, liver failure, constipation and chronic kidney failure.

If we compare it with rice, one of the most important food products on the planet, we can say that it doubles it in protein content. It also outperforms wheat in this same field, with 80% more protein. Regarding the amount of amino acids, It has three times that of corn.

One of the preparations with amaranth that is still popular is the joy, a typical sweet of condition mexican from Morelos. This sweet is made with amaranth seeds and sugar or honey, roasting the seeds so that they puff up. Once mixed with the sugar or honey, they are shaped with molds.

The so-called amaranth cereal or popped amaranth can be used in many ways within the industry food. The demand for this product grows day by day in different areas, ranging from general consumption to the naturist market. There are even social support movements that use derivatives of this food. Regarding the sales format, the popped amaranth can be offered in bags to be distributed in bulk or in previously weighed and sealed packages.