Rose and an Amaranth blossomed side by side in a garden,

and the Amaranth said to her neighbour,

“How I envy you your beauty and your sweet scent!

No wonder you are such a universal favourite.”

But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice,

“Ah, my dear friend, I bloom but for a time:

my petals soon wither and fall, and then I die.

But your flowers never fade, even if they are cut;

for they are everlasting.”

Aesop’s Fables

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For centuries, the Aztecs and American Indians have known the benefits and diverse uses for Amaranth. We are beginning to witness a resurgence in the uses and consumption for this versatile herb due to awareness and availability.

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IDENTIFICATION:

Beautiful magenta colored plant with tiny, oblong-lanceolate pointed leaves.

Nutrient Value & Health Benefits

Cooked amaranth leaves are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate; they are also a complementing source of other vitamins such as thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin, plus some dietary minerals including calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese.

HISTORICAL MEDICINAL — USES OF AMARANTH LEAVES:

The Cherokee utilized amaranth foliage to reduce hemorrhaging, reduce diarrhea, and to treat ulcerated wound. In fact, a classic 19th-century work of herbal/eclectic medicine, King’s American Dispensatory, lists Amaranthus hypochondriacus as an astringent, which is a substance that constricts animal tissues, thus tending to close pores or blood vessels.

MODERN — USES:

Taken internally for diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhage from the bowels, nosebleeds, and excessive menstruation. Can be used as a douche for leucorrhea, as a wash for skin problems, and as a gargle for mouth and throat irritations.

Infusion or decoction: use 1 tsp. leaves with 1 cup water. Take cold, 1-2 cups a day.

Gargle:  2 tbsp. to 1 quart water, simmered 10 minutes and used as a gargle 3-4 times a day. May be used as a douche for leucorrhea.