Amaranth is an annual herbaceous plant of the Amaranth family , numbering about 65 genera and 900 species. The people call it shiritsa, sugar-beetroot, rubella. Amaranth is grown mainly as a decorative decoration for personal plots, but this is an undeservedly forgotten universal food culture. In Russia, this culture is little known and therefore not in demand.
Amaranth vegetable - a tall plant, depending on the species, reaching a height of 2-3 m. The thickness of the stem reaches 10 cm, the leaves are large, elliptical, painted in yellowish, green or different shades of red. The inflorescence is a long (up to 1.5 m) panicles of different density and shape. Amaranth blooms from June to the first frost. Seeds are small, shiny, as if varnished, pink, white, black and brown.
Research scientists have shown that greens and seeds of plants have high nutritional, therapeutic and dietary value. Western scientists call the amaranth a vegetable miracle plant, and food experts from the UN Commission recognize it as the most important culture of the 21st century that can solve the food problem on Earth. The same idea was expressed by academician N. Vavilov at the dawn of the twentieth century: he believed that amaranth would be able to feed humanity in the future.
Amaranth vegetable - This is a culture that can compensate for the deficiency of vitamins, trace elements and protein in the human diet. For food purposes, young amaranth leaves are widely used, from which high-protein salads, soups, mashed potatoes and side dishes are prepared. They can be harvested by drying for future use. From the flour of the plant, you can bake pancakes, bake bread, from its cereals - cook porridge. A decoction of stems and leaves resembles a decoction of beets, so it can be used when cooking soups, borscht, boil potatoes, cereals on it, enriching them with protein. The unique properties of amaranth are highly appreciated by foreign experts of baby food. Dozens of tasty and healthy products are prepared from its seeds for children and people in need of dietary nutrition.
Amaranth vegetable and as a medicinal plant is valuable. All its parts contain the highest quality protein, including many vitamins, essential amino acids, mineral salts and a huge amount of bioactive substances that enhance the antioxidant effect of the plant. Nutritionists unanimously believe that the nutritional value of vegetable amaranth is higher than that of the buckwheat we are familiar with, and its sprouted seeds are not inferior to mother's milk in the content of useful substances contained in them. Regular consumption of amaranth improves metabolism. People living in ecologically unfavorable places should be aware that amaranth can remove radionuclides, toxic substances, salts of heavy metals from the body. This miracle plant is able to inhibit the development of malignant tumors, has a hematopoietic effect and a powerful regenerating and rejuvenating effect. Tea made from amaranth leaves (fresh or dried), when added oregano and lemon balm, is not inferior in flavor to the best Indian varieties, and added when preserving cucumbers, 1 leaf of amaranth per 3-liter jar will keep them elastic and fresh for a long time.
The lack of quality protein in existing animal feed is a significant factor limiting the growth of livestock production. The unsolved problem leads to a huge annual over-expenditure of grain. Amaranth fodder can be an excellent way out of this situation, since in terms of protein, vitamins and amino acids, it significantly exceeds the traditionally used fodder crops. The high yield and resistance of amaranth feed to various diseases and pests make this crop even more valuable, as it allows the production of environmentally friendly products in large quantities.
The plant is widely used in floriculture. It looks great on lawns and can decorate any flower garden. For decorative purposes, amaranth is bred openwork - a slender, powerful plant, decorated with lush, sponge-like dough inflorescences, sultans 50-60 cm long. The plants are decorative from July, when the inflorescences are fully formed, and to frost. Dried flowers do not lose their shape and color and serve as an excellent material when arranging dry bouquets.