Amaranth leaves or simply amaranth green is a high nutrients profile edible green with great benefits to health, it is also sometimes titled as a superfood among many people in the US.
There are two main and popular amaranth leaves categories red and green amaranth. It grows in many tropical & subtropical regions across the world. Different horticultural cultivars of amaranth have been grown for either vegetable leaves or milled grain.
The amaranth plants is able to reach heights of over two meters, It posses sharp edged leaves, which give the plant an oblong shape. The Green variety produces a feathery lime-green stamen from its central stalk that holds numerous seeds.
Amaranths have features including short spike inflorescence, glossy, brown-black seed, and unspecified growth speed.
The flower buds of this plant are edible, but as they mature, they develop into spiny bushes. The young leaves are slightly astringotic when they’re raw, though they’re nutty and mild, like spinach. Larger, more mature leaves are best for frying or braising, similar to a chard or a beet green.
| Page Contents Amaranth Leaves Nutrition Facts 100g Amaranth Greens Health Benefits Red Amaranth vs Green Amaranth Which Amaranth is Edible Precautions Footnote |
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Amaranth Leaves Nutrition Facts 100g
| Macronutrients | Values |
| Carbohydrates | 4g |
| Fats | 0.4g |
| Proteins | 2.5g |
| Dietary Alcohol | 0 |
| Fiber | 2.2g |
| Micronutrients | Value |
| Vitamin A | 146mcg |
| Vitamin B | 0.192mcg |
| Vitamin C | 43.3mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 |
| Vitamin K | 1140mg |
| Folates | 85mcg |
| Thiamin | 0.027mg |
| Calcium | 215mg |
| Copper | 0.162mg |
| Zinc | 2.32mg |
| Potassium | 611mg |
| Magnesium | 55mg |
| Manganese | 0.885mg |
| Potassium | 611mg |
| Iron | 2.32mg |
amaranth leaf nutritionprofile
A 100g amaranth leaves serves 23 calories including all the nutrients.
Amaranth Greens Health Benefits
- Such green leaves are rich vitamin C source. In addition to providing 100 grams of the leaf, you will meet the requirements of your daily vitamin C intake with 70 grams. Vitamin C is a crucial water-soluble vitamin that boosts the immune system and enhances wound healing. It also acts against free radicals that can cause cancer and aging.
- Amaranth leaves are rich with wide-ranging phytonutrients, bioactive compounds, vitamins and minerals that boost immunity.
- They are also rich in flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants, including beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect against oxidative stress caused by harmful free radicals.
- These leaves have the most vitamin K content and are therefore terrific for healthy bone health and blood clotting. They promote osteoblastic activity and strengthen bone mass.
- The leaves extending from the stems and roots have a lot of soluble and insoluble fiber. Moreover, those leafy greens with amaranth figure prominently in a wide range of weight-loss and cholesterol-reducing diets.
- The vitamin B folate, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin are all present, which helps preventing birth defects, also considered as best for mental and physical wellbeing.
- They are contained of potassium as a nutrient which helps greatly in optimizing cell fluid environment and better cardiac muscle functioning.
- This is one of the rarest greens with a great protein amount in it which helps in maintaining muscle and bone mass in the whole human body.
- Due to the presence of Lysine and amino acid, it is helpful in maintaining hair follicles to prevent hair loss and optimizing energy yield in metabolism.
- A 100 g serving of fresh amaranth leaf contains roughly 29 mg of iron, an essential trace element that the body needs for red blood cell (RBC) production and as a cofactor for the oxidation-reduction enzyme, cytochrome oxidase during the metabolism.
- vitamin-A is essential for maintaining healthy mucosa and skin, and is essential for ocular (eye) health. Natural vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamin-A and flavonoids are also known to strengthen the entire body’s defenses from lung and oral cavity cancer.
- It possessed more mineral content than spinach, such as zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese. Mitochondria need manganese and copper as a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Copper is also necessary for the RBC creation and production optimization. Zinc is a cofactor for many enzymes that regulate the development of individuals, digestion and nucleic acid manufacturing in the body.
Red Amaranth vs Green Amaranth Which Amaranth is Edible
Both amaranth green and red are edible forms. Infarct all the family species of Amaranthaceae are edible and highly nutritious.
Red amaranth can absolutely be an edible leafy vegetable, both green and red are share their resemblance as spinach leaves and dino kale leaves.
They can be eaten in many forms either raw or after proper cooking, also they have many uses in ayurvedic medicine as one of the common uses of red amaranth in treating wounds especially in stopping bleeding from wound area.
Precautions
Amaranth leaves have high potassium, excess of which sometimes lead to unwanted water storage in the body which ultimately results in weight gain through fat deposits.
Such leaves have high iron content as spinach leaves. Intake of high iron foods in excess or for long time can cause iron excess in the body which leads to the activation of cancerous cells.
Footnote
Almost all green edible veggies are fall in the list of high nutritious profile greens with enormous benefits to over all health. We should give try to all safe edibles after proper research because shuffling your monthly meal plans and adding new nutritious things can give a better health result. Remember, nutrients from difference food items always positively effect the health.
