John Westfield

I'm a lifelong cooking enthusiast with a special love for strange and underused ingredients. I hope this blog helps open your mind to more of the wonderful edible treasures around us.

Where does amaranth grow?

Amaranth Advantage Cultivated by the Aztecs 8,000 years ago and still a native crop in Peru, the ancient history of amaranth can be traced to Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula. Today, it’s grown in Africa, India, China, Russia, throughout South America, and emerging once again in North America. Why is amaranth banned in the US? …

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Where does amaranth come from?

The genus is native to Mexico and Central America. In pre-Hispanic times, amaranth was cultivated by the Aztec and their tributary communities in a quantity very similar to maize. Known to the Aztecs as huāuhtli, amaranth is thought to have represented up to 80% of their energy consumption before the Spanish conquest. Amaranthus retroflexus, “pig …

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How to cook amaranth grains?

The protein contained in amaranth is of an unusually high quality, providing nine grams for one cup of cooked grain. Amaranth has the power to reduce inflammation, which is associated with just about every health condition. Some additional things to look into: aids digestive system, helps lower cholesterol, or supports bone health. Another inquiry we …

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Are amaranth leaves edible?

Nearly all amaranths are edible, including ‘love-lies-bleeding’ and even the common roadside weedy forms. But those sold as edible varieties are selected for their good seed production and especially tasty leaves. That’s an amaranth species, Amaranthus caudatus, and yes, the leaves and seeds are edible and nutritious like any other amaranth. The same goes for …

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