Amaranth is an 8,000 year old crop called the “super food” by the ancient Aztecs. Once an abundant part of the empire’s crop base, Amaranth was fed to runners and warriors because of its reputation for providing large bursts of energy and improving athletic performance. The crop was regarded so highly that each year bushels of Amaranth were presented to their leader, Montezuma. Because the crop figured so prominently in Aztec culture and religious ceremonies, the conquering armies of Cortez burned the fields to the ground. As European crops replaced indigenous ones, Amaranth slowly fell out of use. Twenty years ago, the “ancient crop with a future” enjoyed a renaissance when the National Academy of Sciences recommended Amaranth as one of twenty foods to be re-introduced to the American diet.

The main reason for Amaranth’s recommended re-introduction was its phenomenal nutritional profile, which provides several important nutrients that are often difficult to incorporate into a restrictive diet. For example, Amaranth contains large amounts of dietary fiber, iron, and calcium as well as other vitamins and minerals. Amaranth also has naturally high amounts of lysine, methionine and cysteine combined with a fine balance of amino acids making it an excellent source of high quality, balanced protein, which is more complete than the protein found in most grains. In addition to Amaranth’s outstanding nutritional value, it is also very low in sodium and contains no saturated fat. Another outstanding feature is that our Amaranth is organically grown and is naturally Non-GMO.

Today, research supports what the ancients already knew; Amaranth is an ideal food that packs a lot of value into its tiny seed. It makes a great alternative to rice and potato-based products and because of its versatility, can be used in a far range of food applications. So why not start incorporating Amaranth into your gluten-free, vegetarian, heart-healthy or simply more balanced diet today!