Amaranthus (Dantina Soppu)

Description

History:

Amaranth grain has a long and colorful history in Mexico and is considered a native crop in Peru.  It was a major food crop of the Aztecs, and some have estimated amaranth was domesticated between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago.The Aztecs didn’t just grow and eat amaranth, they also used the grains as part of their religious practices.  Many ceremonies would include the creation of a deity’s image that had been made from a combination of amaranth grains and honey.  Once formed, the images were worshipped before being broken into pieces and distributed for people to eat. In true “never-fading” fashion, seeds from the amaranth plant spread around the world and both leaves and grain became important food sources in areas of Africa, India, and Nepal.  In the past two decades, amaranth has reached a much larger number of farmers and can now be found in many non-native regions such as China, Russia, Thailand, and Nigeria, as well as Mexico and parts of South America.

Nutrition:

One cup (246 grams) of cooked amaranth contains the following nutrients (2):

• Calories: 251
• Protein: 9.3 grams
• Carbs: 46 grams
• Fat: 5.2 grams
• Manganese: 105% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 40% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 36% of the RDI
• Iron: 29% of the RDI
• Selenium: 19% of the RDI
• Copper: 18% of the RDI