Amaranth (Amaranthus species) is a pseudograin cultivated for its small, nutritious seeds and edible leaves. The plant was a staple crop of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations and has been grown in the Americas for 8,000 years. Amaranth grain is high in protein (14 to 18 percent), containing the amino acid lysine, which is deficient in most cereal grains. The plant's tolerance for heat, drought, and poor soils makes it a resilient crop for homestead production.
Amaranth was domesticated in Mexico and Central America approximately 4,000 BCE and was a major food crop of the Aztec civilization. The Aztecs used amaranth grain in religious ceremonies, grinding it into flour and mixing it with honey or human blood to form ceremonial figures. Spanish colonists suppressed amaranth cultivation due to its association with indigenous religious practices, nearly erasing the crop from the agricultural landscape of the Americas.
Amaranth survived in remote indigenous communities and was maintained as a minor crop in the Andes under the name kiwicha. The crop was rediscovered by Western agriculture in the 1970s and 1980s as a nutritious, drought-tolerant grain. Amaranth production has expanded in the United States, Mexico, China, and India.
Amaranth is a broadleaf annual that grows 3 to 6 feet (0.9 to 1.8 meters) tall depending on the variety. The plant produces large, drooping flower heads that contain thousands of tiny seeds. The seeds are round, 1 to 1.5 millimeters in diameter, and range in color from cream to gold to black depending on the species. The leaves are broad and edible, similar to spinach in flavor and nutrition.
Amaranth is a C4 plant, meaning it uses a more efficient photosynthetic pathway than C3 grains such as wheat or rice. This allows the plant to maintain growth under high temperatures and drought conditions. Amaranth requires 90 to 120 days to produce mature seed. The seed heads mature unevenly, and the small seed size requires careful harvest timing to minimize shattering.
On a homestead, amaranth is grown for grain and greens. The grain is popped like popcorn, ground into flour for gluten-free baking, or cooked as a porridge. The seeds are also sprouted for microgreens. The leaves are harvested throughout the growing season as a cooking green similar to spinach or Swiss chard.
Amaranth's small seed size presents harvesting challenges at small scales. Seeds can be harvested by cutting mature seed heads and threshing into a container. The seed is cleaned by screening and winnowing. Amaranth stores well in rodent-proof containers due to its low moisture content. The crop is an excellent choice for hot, dry homestead sites where other grain crops would fail.