Grain Amaranth – Beautiful and Nutritious

The amaranth plant has long, bright red or green seedheads that hold thousands of tiny seeds. These seedheads look similar to grain sorghum. Amaranth seeds contain a lot of protein – more protein than other grains such as wheat, maize, rice or sorghum. Nutritionists say that the protein in amaranth is very high quality – even better than the protein in cow’s milk. Amaranth grows well in most climates. It is especially good for dry regions, monsoon areas, and for tropical highlands. One of the reasons amaranth does well in poor, infertile soils is because it has deep roots which can reach water and nutrients deep down in the soil. And here’s another benefit you’ll be happy about-amaranth has very few pest or disease problems.

To grow amaranth, find a flat area of land to plant. If the planting area isn’t flat, rain can wash away the tiny seeds. Break up any large pieces of soil or hard crusts on the soil surface. For best results with amaranth, your seedbed should consist of tiny, fine particles of soil. Water the seedbed before you sow the seeds.

Here’s a good way to sow the seeds. First, mix the seeds with sand. Now pour the mixture of sand and seeds into a very shallow V shaped furrow in the soil. Cover the seeds with one centimetre of soil – not more than that. Try to keep ants and termites away from the new seedbed – these insects can steal your seeds.

Keep the soil moist until the seedlings break through the surface. After a few weeks when the plant has several leaves, thin them so they are 10 to 15 centimetres apart. Ten centimetres is about the length of your longest finger, or a little longer.

When amaranth plants are small, weed them thoroughly by hand or with a hoe. But when they grow larger, you won’t need to do any weeding. This is because they form a canopy which shades weeds and prevents them from growing.

Amaranth grows from one to two metres high, sometimes higher. It prefers hot sunny days, and will produce many seeds in this weather. But the plants will stop growing when temperatures drop to 8 degrees Celsius or colder. Only one species, called Amaranthus caudatus, can grow in colder temperatures.

Here are a couple of tips for keeping amaranth healthy. First, mix compost into your soil before planting your seeds. Compost will keep your soil fertile, and help your amaranth grow large and healthy. About one month after planting, sow a low growing crop such as velvet bean (Mucuna species) to cover the soil between your plants. A cover crop will keep moisture in the soil.

You can harvest amaranth about 4 to 5 months after planting, although you might have to wait longer if you live in highlands or other cool areas. You will know the grain is ready to harvest when you see a few seeds drop.

Here’s how to harvest the grain. Cut off the tops of the plants – that’s the part of the plant that contains the seedhead. Lay the seedheads on a plastic sheet or another surface that will protect them from soil moisture. Let them dry in the sun for one week, or until they feel brittle. Then stamp firmly on the plants to separate the seed from the main stem. Finally, separate the seed covering from the seed. Gather the seeds. They are now ready to use.

You and your family can enjoy many different foods made from amaranth. Try cooking the seeds to make cereal. You can grind them into flour to make flat breads such as tortillas or chapatis. Amaranth flour does not rise by itself. But if you add one part of amaranth flour to six or eight parts of wheat or corn flour, you will have a rich, nutty tasting and nutritious flour. Use this mixture to make bread and other baked foods.

In some countries, amaranth is made into sweets. You can also add amaranth seeds to soups or grind them to powder for drinks. If you heat amaranth seeds in a little oil, they will “pop” into a nutty-tasting, nutritious snack.

Today I’ve told you all about amaranth. This plant is easy to grow, it gives good yields, and you can use it to make many delicious and nutritious foods. Amaranth is an ancient food. And with all these qualities it is sure to be a valued crop for many future generations.

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