2024 Autor: Cecilia Ryder | [email protected]. Modificat ultima dată: 2023-12-17 14:22
Nu. Nu vom numi asta un superaliment. Nu din nou. În zilele noastre, tot ceea ce puteți găsi pe rafturile supermarketurilor este supranumit un superaliment - atât de mult încât termenul își pierde din valoare.
Deci, nu vom numi amarantul un superaliment. Vă vom arăta doar ce poate face pentru dvs. Dacă este sau nu un superaliment, ei bine, tu decizi.
Cuprins
- Ce este Amaranth?
- Care este istoria amarantului?
- Care este profilul nutrițional al amarantului?
- Care sunt beneficiile amarantului?
- Cum se utilizează Amaranth
- Cum să gătești și să mănânci amarant
- Cum să selectați și să stocați amarantul
- Orice rețete populare de amarant?
- Orice fapte importante despre Amaranth?
- De unde să cumpărați amarant?
- Orice efecte secundare ale amarantului?
Ce este Amaranth?
Cunoscut științific sub numele de Amaranthus, acesta este un gen de plante perene (anuale, precum și de scurtă durată). Numele „amarant” este derivat din cuvintele grecești „amarantos” (care înseamnă „nefolorabil”) și „anthos” (care înseamnă floare).
Din punct de vedere tehnic, amarantul este o sămânță și nu un bob (deși majoritatea surselor îl numesc boabe, iar acest lucru este în regulă). Se numește „bayam” în Indonezia și Malaezia, „kalunay” în Filipine, „amarante” în Franța, „kiwicha” în spaniolă, „borlas” în America de Sud și „bredo” în Portugalia. Se mai numește spanacul african sau cel indian.
Anumite specii de amarant sunt cultivate sub formă de legume cu frunze, plante ornamentale și chiar pseudocereale (non-ierburile folosite la fel ca cerealele, cum ar fi quinoa). Și există diferite tipuri de amarant:
Frunzele de amarant, care fie cresc pe câmp (și vin în culori vibrante precum roșu, portocaliu și violet), fie sunt pregătite pentru recoltare (care sunt uscate și maronii). Acestea se mai numesc și verdele amarant.
Boabe de amarant, care sunt într-o nuanță uniformă de cremă palidă.
Amarantul popped, numit și amarant pufat - sunt ceea ce obținem atunci când turnați câteva linguri de boabe de amarant pe o suprafață foarte fierbinte. Boabele pop. O poți numi floricele amarant.
Făină de amarant, care este albă sau cremoasă ca orice altă făină.
Nu vă pierdeți din punct de vedere tehnic, deoarece ceea ce urmează să vedeți în continuare este și mai interesant.
Înapoi la TOC
Care este istoria amarantului?
De ce numim asta interesant?
Pentru că acesta este unul dintre cele mai vechi lucruri cultivate și mâncate de oameni. Ca, să zicem, acum mai bine de 8.000 de ani. Aztecii au fost primii băieți care au cultivat această cultură și este încă o cultură nativă în Peru modernă. Istoria antică a amarantului poate fi urmărită înapoi în Mexic și Peninsula Yucatan.
Astăzi, amarantul este cultivat în Africa, India, Rusia, China, în toată America de Sud și în părți din America de Nord.
Motivul pentru care amarantul este cultivat de mai bine de 8.000 de ani acum este ceea ce conține - nutrienții.
Înapoi la TOC
Care este profilul nutrițional al amarantului?
Calorii 716 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grăsimi saturate 3g | Grasimi nesaturate | Colesterol 0mg | Sodiu 8mg | Glucid total 127g | Fibre dietetice 13g | Zaharuri 3g | Proteine 26g | Vitamina A | Vitamina C | Calciu | Fier | Sume per servire selectată | Vitamina A | Vitamina C | Vitamina D | Vitamina E (alfa tocoferol) | Vitamina K | Tiamina | Riboflavina | Niacina | Vitamina B6 | Folat | Vitamina B12 | Pantothenic Acid | Choline | Betaine | Amounts Per Selected Serving | Calcium | Iron | Magnesium | Phosphorus | Potassium | Sodium | Zinc | Copper | Manganese | Selenium | Fluoride |
Some other important nutrients in amaranth include: – 0.3 milligrams of vitamin B6 (14% of the daily value) – 0.1 milligrams of vitamin B2 (3% of the daily value) – 0.6 milligrams of niacin (3% of the daily value) – 0.5 milligrams of vitamin E (2% of the daily value) – 0.1 milligrams of thiamine (2% of the daily value) – 2 milligrams of manganese (105% of the daily value) – 160 milligrams of magnesium (40% of the daily value) – 5 milligrams of iron (29% of the daily value) – 116 milligrams of calcium (16% of the daily value) – 54 micrograms of folate (14% of the daily value) – 2 milligrams of zinc (14% of the daily value) Knowing about these nutrients is not enough – what we need to look at is what these nutrients can do for us. Back To TOCWhat Are The Benefits Of Amaranth?Amaranth is gluten-free, which is great news for anyone who wants to have a healthy diet but is gluten-intolerant. The seed is a great source of protein, which helps build muscle and boosts immunity and hair health. And the fiber amaranth contains works great for treating diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even cancer. 1. Is Gluten-FreeThat’s some fantastic news for people with sensitivities or intolerances to gluten. Gluten sensitivity is basically a cluster of symptoms that happen due to reaction to a protein in the wheat plant (and that protein is gluten). The most severe form of gluten sensitivity is Celiac’s disease, which causes serious digestive complications. Given amaranth doesn’t have gluten, you can happily include it in your gluten-free diet. 2. Is An Excellent Source Of ProteinWe have read in school that protein is the building block of the body. And then, we forgot about it. It’s time to remind ourselves about the importance of this nutrient. Amaranth contains an unusually high quality of protein. One cup of cooked amaranth offers 9 grams of protein. This nutrient is used by every cell in our body – and is essential for building muscle mass and digestion. It also aids neurological function. One study talks about how protein can enhance muscle recovery post exercise (1). Another study talks about how amaranth grain also contains a greater concentration of amino acids (2). 3. Helps Fight InflammationAmaranth is a great tool you can use to fight inflammation. And more importantly, it treats inflammatory conditions like arthritis and gout. This is especially true in the case of osteoarthritis. One study spoke of the anti-inflammatory properties of amaranth and how they could aid the treatment of inflammatory conditions like arthritis (3). Something similar is also discussed in a report by the Arthritis Foundation, which talks about how amaranth can be a better choice for anyone suffering from arthritis (4). It is gluten-free (we will discuss that too), which offers an added advantage. The magnesium in amaranth also offers anti-inflammatory benefits. These anti-inflammatory properties of amaranth can be attributed to the presence of phytochemicals, which amaranth contains aplenty (5). 4. Improves Bone HealthManganese is one important mineral this vegetable contains, which plays a role in bone health. One cup of amaranth offers 105% of the daily value of manganese, making it one of the richest sources of the mineral. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, amaranth is one of the ancient grains important for a bone-healthy diet. It contains protein, calcium, and iron – nutrients crucial for bone health (6). It also happens to be the only grain to contain vitamin C, which helps improve the health of ligaments and also fights inflammation (and associated inflammatory ailments like gouts and arthritis). And being rich in calcium, amaranth helps heal broken bones and even strengthens the bones. One 2013 study stated that consuming amaranth was an effective way to meet our daily needs of calcium and other bone-healthy minerals like zinc and iron (7). These characteristics of amaranth also make it a good treatment for osteoarthritis. 5. Strengthens The HeartOne Russian study stated the efficacy of amaranth oil in preventing coronary heart disease. The oil achieves this by reducing total cholesterol (8). It also increases the concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and other healthy long-chain acids from the omega-3 families. This also can have a beneficial effect on patients suffering from hypertension. Another study published in 2003 showed that amaranth has phytosterols, which have cholesterol-reducing properties. Amaranth had also exhibited anti-atherosclerotic effects in several other studies (9). 6. Might Fight DiabetesThough amaranth has a high glycemic index, surprisingly, it may not be harmful for diabetics. In one study, rats fed with amaranth oil or amaranth grain experienced an increase in insulin levels and a decrease in blood sugar levels (10). Although we need more studies in this regard, taking amaranth in moderation can be beneficial for diabetics (as it contains fiber as well). You might want to have amaranth along with lean protein foods and foods high in unsaturated fat. 7. Fights CancerThe protein in amaranth can play a vital role in cancer treatment. It builds the health of healthy cells that are otherwise destroyed in chemotherapy. According to another Bangladeshi study, amaranth can exhibit a strong anti-proliferative activity on cancer cells. It stops the cancer cells from spreading (11). Amaranth also contains tocotrienols, which are members of the vitamin E family, found to have anticancer properties. We don’t know much about tocotrienols, but whatever little we know tells us that these compounds play a role in the treatment and prevention of cancer (12). 8. Is A Great Source Of LysineAmaranth tops the list of the high-lysine grains – offering 721 milligrams of the nutrient in a half cup serving. Lysine is one essential amino acid that plays a role in calcium absorption. It also burns fat and maintains the skin, tendons, cartilage, and bones. The lysine in amaranth is also used to treat herpes virus and cold sores around the mouth. It also works as an immune booster. 9. Boosts ImmunityReports suggest that unprocessed grains work wonders for your immune health, and amaranth is one among them (13). And the oil also works great for immunity – especially for children suffering from allergies. Amaranth is also rich in zinc, another mineral known to empower the immune system. Zinc has an important role to play, especially in the immune systems of older people. Older individuals might be more susceptible to infections, and zinc helps by staving them off. Zinc supplementation is linked to an increase in the numbers of T-cells, which are a type of white blood cells associated with a stronger immune system. T-cells target and destroy invading pathogens (14). 10. Enhances Digestive HealthThe fiber in amaranth bags the credit here (15). It binds to the cholesterol in the digestive system and results in its excretion. The fiber basically acts as bile and pulls the cholesterol out of the stool – which, apart from offering benefits to your heart, also aids digestion. It also regulates the excretion of waste. Around 78 percent of the fiber in amaranth is insoluble while the remaining 22 percent is soluble – and this proportion is higher than what is found in other grains like maize and wheat. Soluble fiber aids proper digestion. Amaranth also treats leaky gut syndrome, where the gut lining that prevents the bigger food particles (that can damage your system) from passing through gets inflamed. This causes fatigue, bloating, headaches, and even weight gain. Amaranth works here by encouraging the growth of the beneficial gut bacteria, thereby healing the leaky gut. 11. Might Aid Weight LossThough not a weight loss food specifically, amaranth could be an addition to your weight loss diet. Fiber is what we can look at here. It suppresses your appetite and keeps you full, and this discourages overeating – healthily impacting your overall weight loss process. Amaranth is also a whole grain, and it contributes to weight loss much better than refined grains (16). 12. Improves VisionAmaranth contains vitamin A, which is known to improve vision. The vitamin is important for vision under poor lighting conditions, and it also prevents night blindness (caused by vitamin A deficiency) (17). Amaranth leaf also is rich in vitamin A, which can help enhance vision (18). 13. Is Beneficial For PregnancyAmaranth is rich in iron, a mineral that has a vital role to play during pregnancy. It helps deliver oxygen to the baby and supports its development. And the folate in this veggie helps the body make new cells. It also is crucial for copying and synthesizing DNA. More importantly, a folate deficiency can lead to neural tube defects in the newborn. Folate is also considered the most important vitamin during pregnancy. In fact, fortification of foods with folate by the FDA had cut down the risk of neural tube defects by 26 percent (19). 14. Improves Hair And Skin HealthAmaranth contains lysine, an amino acid the body cannot produce – and an amino acid that can benefit the hair. It strengthens the hair follicles and helps prevent male pattern baldness. You can simply extract the juice from the amaranth leaves and apply to your hair after shampooing. The iron in amaranth also contributes to hair health. This mineral might also prevent premature graying. Amaranth oil can be beneficial to your skin as well. It can help prevent premature signs of aging and even serve as a good cleanser. You just have to massage a few drops of the oil into your face before you take a bath. 15. Combats AnemiaGiven that it is rich in iron, amaranth can help combat anemia – which is a result of the deficiency of the mineral. This was proved in a study published in Public Health Nutrition, where adding amaranth to the diets of Kenyan children had improved their anemic symptoms (20). The benefits, we saw, are wonderful. But these alone can’t define the greatness of amaranth. There is something else. Back To TOCHow To Use AmaranthThere are other ways you can use amaranth to make your life easier. Whether it is moisturizing your skin or removing your makeup seamlessly, amaranth has something to offer. Here are ways you can use amaranth: Moisturize Your SkinWash your hands and then leave them damp. Pour about 3 drops of amaranth oil on your palms and rub them together. Massage this oil into your face. Repeating this daily can improve skin health. Clean And Whiten Your TeethThe oil works as a natural bactericide. So, you can use it to remove the plaque and bacteria on your teeth and tongue. You might also want to use the oil to treat swollen gums, mouth ulcers, or even a sore throat. Simply swish a tablespoon of the oil in your mouth for about 20 minutes, and then spit it out. Repeat daily. Remove MakeupTake a couple of drops of the oil on your fingertips and massage into the skin around your eyes and eyelashes (and wherever you added makeup). Take a cotton swab and wipe the makeup residue away. Make Your Hair ShineSimply massage your hair and scalp using a drop or two of amaranth oil. Wrap a towel around your hair and leave it on for 30 minutes. You can shampoo afterwards for smooth and shiny hair. That’s with the uses. It sure does feel good when something not only benefits your health but also works in ways to make your life a whole lot easier. But yes, ever wondered how you can cook amaranth? Any tips on how to serve the veggie? Back To TOCHow To Cook And Eat AmaranthYou can prepare and eat amaranth in several ways. And these are just a few. You can cook them in water. The ratio is 6 cups of water to 1 cup of amaranth. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir once in 15 minutesOr you can take it as a healthy cereal. Cook amaranth in milk and serve it with your favorite fruit and nutsHave it as a tasty evening snack. Simply pop amaranth seeds just like popcorn. Add it as a crunchy topping to soups or saladsUse it as a side dish. Cook amaranth in juice or stock. Add seasoning and a dollop of butter. Use it as a side dishAs a substitute for rice. You can have amaranth in the place of rice. Or replace rice with amaranth in your regular rice preparationsGood stuff, isn’t it? But not all amaranth you find in the marketplace is good. So, one must know how to pick the right variety. And how to store it as well. Back To TOCHow To Select And Store AmaranthThis is quite simple. For selection, ensure you pick the fresh, crisp, and green bunches. There must be no signs of insect damage. If you are going for the seeds, make sure they are well wrapped in airtight packages. For storage, keep them (seeds or leaves) refrigerated in a plastic bag. Use within a week. Don’t wash them until you are ready to use them. What do you do after you have picked the right type of amaranth and stored it properly? You head to your kitchen counter, ready to create the next culinary masterpiece. Right? Well, these amaranth recipes can help – they will have you going gaga over this trendy grain. Back To TOCAny Popular Amaranth Recipes?1. Amaranth PorridgeWhat You Need
Directions
2. Orange Amaranth BreadWhat You Need
Directions
You can also replace your regular flour with amaranth flour for delicious amaranth flour recipes. We don’t have to be too serious. Here’s something to lighten you up a bit. Back To TOCAny Important Facts About Amaranth?
You have learned a good deal about amaranth and how it can benefit you. But wait, where can you get it? Back To TOCWhere To Buy Amaranth?You can grab your pack of amaranth from your nearest supermarket. Or you can even buy it online. Some online players include Amazon, Whole Foods Market, and Walmart. You can also buy puffed amaranth if you want. Or amaranth flakes as well. We aren’t done yet. There is something else you must know. Back To TOCAny Side Effects Of Amaranth?There are no known side effects of amaranth. But this doesn’t mean you can take as much as you want. Stick to normal food amounts. And coming to pregnancy and breastfeeding, there is no enough information. So stay safe and avoid use. Back To TOCConclusionReap gains from this grain (or seed, whatever). And yes – do you think it is a superfood? Tell us in the comment box below. Expert’s Answers For Readers’ QuestionsHow different is amaranth from quinoa? There is not a lot of difference. Some say amaranth is way cheaper, but this depends on the location as well. Amaranth contains slightly more protein than quinoa, but the difference is not so much that it deserves any debate. How does amaranth grow? Planting amaranth is simple. Remember that good soil moisture is imperative. Don’t water the plant until it has two to three leaves. The plant might appear slow growing initially, but it is drought tolerant and does well on a total of inches of water or less. What does amaranth taste like? It has an earthy and nutty flavor. Like whole wheat or whole berries. Any good substitute for amaranth? Quinoa. How to sprout amaranth? Soak the seeds in water for 30 minutes. That’s it. What are the benefits of amaranth flour? Same as what we saw about amaranth. Does amaranth contain saponins like quinoa? Yes How to prepare amaranth flower tea? Steep the flowers in boiling water and keep stirring. Filter the petals, and you are good to go.a References
Recomandat:14 Beneficii Uimitoare Ale șofranului (Kesar) Pentru Piele, Păr și SănătateȘofranul este cel mai scump condiment din lume. O liră de condiment poate costa oriunde între 500 și 5000 de dolari. Se estimează că producția anuală mondială de șofran este de aproximativ 300 de tone, Iranul producând cel mai mult (76%). De asemene Beneficii Uimitoare Ale Neem Pentru Piele, Păr și SănătateNumit și liliac indian (sau dogonyaro), neem este o parte importantă a Ayurveda - iar beneficiile neemului, să vă spunem, sunt de neegalat. Neem mai este numit Vepa în Telugu, Veppilai în Tamil, Aaru Veppila / Veppila în Malayalam, Bevu / Olle Bevu în Kannada, Nim în Hindi, Nim / Nimba Pata în Bengali, Limba în Gujarati și Kadulimb în Marathi. Dar, în afar 17 Beneficii Uimitoare Ale Uleiului Marocan Pentru Piele, Păr și SănătateUleiul de argan este cunoscut în mod popular ca „aur lichid”. Este derivat din miezul fructului Argan și este unul dintre cele mai scumpe uleiuri din lume. Femeile marocane, de la vârste întregi, au folosit uleiul marocan pentru a-și menține pielea, părul și întregul corp hrănit și tânăr. Și, în zilele no 31 De Beneficii Uimitoare Ale Uleiului De Arbore De Ceai Pentru Piele, Păr și SănătateEste probabil cel mai larg promovat ulei din vremurile recente - având în vedere modul în care a fost promovat pentru tratarea afecțiunilor și vindecarea bolilor. Dar este adevărat? Ei bine, există cercetări care confirmă beneficiile uleiului de arbore de ceai. Continua 10 Beneficii Uimitoare Ale Sucului De Castravete Pentru Piele, Păr și SănătateSucul de castravete este o băutură sănătoasă, hrănitoare și versatilă. Castraveții au un conținut ridicat de apă și conțin vitamina K, silice, vitamina A, vitamina C și clorofilă. Multe dintre beneficiile sucului de castraveți includ tratarea semnelor vitale ridicate și a pietrelor din organele urinare. Sucul de castrav |