Healthy Benefits of Amaranth in your Diet

The nutritional qualities of amaranth have been celebrated for centuries. The Ancient Greeks believed it had healing properties. It was a precious source of nourishment for the Mayas. The Aztecs believed amaranth had supernatural powers that would give all those who ate it great strength. While amaranth might not strictly have superpowers, the ideas about healing and strength-giving weren’t far off: each tiny grain of this gluten free pseudocereal contains a remarkable range of essential nutrients that have knock-on health benefits. 

Here we take a look at the whole grain behind the myth to discover what amaranth can do for you. 

Like other whole grain pseudocereals, amaranth is a complete protein (meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids) that is rich in fibre and complex carbohydrates. Protein plays a key role in boosting metabolism and building and repairing cells and tissue. Fibre moves slowly through the gut, promoting feelings of fullness and feeding the good bacteria in our intestines. Complex carbohydrates break down slowly, releasing their calories gradually. Eating amaranth, therefore, can contribute to higher energy levels, better digestive health and stronger cell function.  

However, where amaranth really stands out is its manganese, phosphorus, potassium and iron content. One serving of amaranth contains 100% of your recommended daily intake for manganese, almost 50% for magnesium, almost 40% for phosphorus and almost 30% for iron. Manganese is crucial to maintaining healthy brain function, so getting the right amount will boost mental cognition. Magnesium and phosphorus both help release energy from food and are excellent for muscle and bone health. Iron, meanwhile, is vital for making haemoglobin and therefore delivering all the oxygen your organs and muscles need to function at optimal levels. 

It’s already clear from the above that with its rich protein, fibre, complex carbohydrate, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and iron content, amaranth has a pretty impressive nutritional profile. Indeed, one study on the quality of protein in amaranth has found it to be one of the most nutritious plant-based proteins around and comparable to animal-based protein. But its list of nourishing nutrients does not stop there. 

Among grains, amaranth is second only to teff for calcium content. Calcium has a major role in building strong bones and teeth, regulating muscle contractions (including heartbeat) and ensuring blood clots properly. Amaranth is also a good source of selenium, which helps the immune system work properly by aiding antioxidant function. Vitamin-wise, amaranth contains plenty of B vitamins (especially vitamin B6, which aids metabolism and haemoglobin formation) and is one of the rare grains that contain vitamin C, which is well known for its defensive and healing properties.  

If that weren’t enough, amaranth also comes loaded with phytosterols that lower cholesterol and antioxidants that help the body build resistance to chronic diseases by protecting cells from free-radical damage. 

As all the nutritional advantages of amaranth grains are also present in amaranth flour, baking with it will add plenty of protein, dietary fibre, manganese, phosphorus, iron, calcium, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin C, antioxidants and phytosterols to your diet. As these essential nutrients have important blood and cell boosting, cholesterol-lowering, energy-giving, metabolic and resistance-building properties, they can help you along the path to greater mental cognition, better muscle health and lower cholesterol. 

So while they might not give you super strength, amaranth and amaranth flour do contain nutrients that are key to ensuring you’re at the very top of your physical and mental game