Amaranth ( Chinese Spinach ) Seeds

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Useful gardening information

Amaranth grows vigorously in most climates and needs a minimum of water. Both the leaves, which taste like spinach, and the seeds contain a high concentration of lysine, an essential amino acid lacking in all of the world’s main cereal crops. One study conducted in Denmark concluded that the addition of amaranth to other cereal flours improved protein quality without affecting energy utilization. A study published in the Journal of Food Science concluded that amaranth is also highly suitable for utilization in infant formulas. The seeds can be used for breads, pastries, or can be popped like corn. In addition to its high fiber, calcium and iron, amaranth also has two times more calcium than milk. When used in combination with wheat, corn or brown rice Amaranth offers a complete protein as high in food value as fish, red meat or poultry. Cooked amaranth has a total digestibility of about 90%. Amaranth’s unique nutty flavor makes it a welcome addition to many types of food products.

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Sowing Instructions

Sow outdoors 1-2 weeks before the last frost date. Or sow indoors 4 weeks early. Barely cover the seeds. Thin to 12-18" apart. Full sun. Easy to grow.

Informative articles found on the web:

Amaranth a Healthy Grain for Vegetarian Recipes Includes two vegetarian recipes using amaranth.
Amaranth Recipes - A small selection of low fat vegetarian amaranth recipes.
Amaranth Recipes - Amaranth recipes collected from Usenet.
Cooked Amaranth - Basic recipe for cooked amaranth from Deborah Madison's book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Mexico's Grain of the Gods: Cooking with Amaranth - Article with several recipes included.

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The following seeds are in stock and ready to ship