How can we consume amaranth(rajgira) seeds?

Amaranth Seeds has been a staple diet for humans for more than 5000 years. But how can we consume amaranth(rajagira) seeds?

Rajagira is the Indian name for Amaranth. It is a small leafy plant quite equivalent in form to Quinoa.

This is not a grain as grains grow from the grass family. It is a seed from these small leafy plants.

Amaranth has many uses the word over. It’s leaf is also consumed as vegetables. The seeds can be stored in containers for long duration.

It has many properties which are conducive to healthy eating. Today, Amaranth is considered a super-food and cheaper than its more popular alternative- Quinoa.

In this article, we will discuss the various ways in which Amaranth Seeds can be consumed.

Make it part of life having it on regular intervals. It will bring you health and wellness which is proven over centuries.

What is Amaranth Seed?

Amaranth Seeds are white. One can easily differentiate between Amaranth and Quinoa based on color. Amaranth Seeds are lighter.

The seeds are borne by the small green plants when they mature. This is at the end of the harvesting of green leaves. One can remove the seeds and store it for future use.

Amaranth Seeds are power packed with nutrients. The protein Content in the seeds are sufficient for our daily needs. This is a great option for vegetarians and vegans.

Being easy to digest, it is a good food option to end your Fasting. It does not contribute to your weight gain but supplements the body with nutrients.

The seeds are often confused with cereals. Amaranth Seeds are not cereals as cereals are grown from the grass family. For example, wheat and rice are technically cereals and they are grown from. Grass family.

Amaranth Seeds supplies other essential nutrients to our body like magnesium. Magnesium is necessary for absorption of calcium which provide strength to our bones.

So how can we consume amaranth(rajagira) seeds? Read on discover the various ways.

Eating Raw Amaranth Seeds

The primary of the various ways of consuming Amaranth Seeds is to eat it Raw. But, how do you do that?

Take Amaranth Seeds and sieve off any dust in it. Was it clean and let it dry.

Once it is dried, place it in a pressure cooker. Cook it on Sim flame on a glass stove. The seeds puff up like pop corns!

Eat the puffed Seeds with sauce or pickle or simply enjoy the puffiness.

Eating puffed Amaranth Seeds is both fulfilling and provides nutrition. It quenches your hunger immediately.

It is great on menu when on a weight loss program.

Read my other article here on Weight Loss Nutrition Tips.

Cooking Amaranth Seeds

Amaranth Seeds can be cooked for tasty dishes without carrying weight. It is light on stomach but still fulfilling. Hence, food preparations made out of Amaranth Seeds are used to break fast.

The easiest cooking technique is to steal it. Boil Amaranth Seeds with sufficient water in a pressure cooker. Steam Amaranth is ready in about 7-10 minutes.

This is just like preparing steamed rice. One can add a little butter and salt to taste!

Adding spices to prepare tastier dishes are done in similar way. Both sweet and spicy dishes can be prepared using Amaranth Seeds. One of my favorite here is the sweet porridge made with jaggery, clarified butter and Amaranth Seeds.

Here is a video link to prepare Energy Bars using Amaranth Seeds. I am sure this will give you a head start in preparing Amaranth dishes.

Remember that Amaranth Seeds are of great nutritional value. They are available at much cheaper price than its much celebrated counterpart- the Quinoa Seeds.

Hence, try it in case I’d your have not tried cooking with Amaranth Seeds before or have missed cooking with it.

Eating Powdered Amaranth Seeds

Another popular use of Amaranth Seeds is in its Powdered form. The powder retains the same nutritional value as the seeds.

Many bakery products like Cakes and Biscuits uses Amaranth powder. It keeps the product lightweight.

Eating products made of refined flour comes with its share of health problems. The nutritional value is negative for refined flour. Powder made from Amaranth Seeds fulfill this nutritional gap.

Preparing the powder is quite easy and can be done 8n one’s kitchen. A kitchen grinder is sufficient to powder the Amaranth Seeds.

Powdered Amaranth Seeds is fast catching on popularity and some Celebrity Chefs like Sanjeev Kapoor are recommending it in their dishes.

Benefits of Eating Amaranth Seeds

Amaranth Seeds come with high protein Content. It is a good substitute for meat and a boon for vegetarians. A 100 gram portion of Amaranth Seed contains approximately 13 grams of protein.

This protein is rich in digestible amino Acids. The high quality of protein available is rare to find in other food grains. Hence, it is not only the protein Content but the high quality of it which makes it a super food.

Besides being packed with macro nutrients, it is a good source of micro nutrients.

It contains the essential elements like magnesium. Phosphorus and other micro nutrients.

With so many nutrients packed into one, this Ancient food grain began regaining popularity in the 1970s. Today, it is available worldwide which was once the staple food of Aztecs!

Should Women Consume Amaranth Post- Delivery?

Folic Acid is a major need in pregnant women. Amaranth Seeds are a great source of folic acid and thus important in a diet of a pregnant woman.

But, should consuming Amaranth Seeds continue post – delivery is usually confusing.

Expert Dietitians recommend continuing with this super food. It helps in recovery of the body by surfing vital proteins’ abs other essential micro-nutrients.

This also helps in producing sufficient milk for breast-feeding babies.

Hence, women need not worry and continue consumption of amaranth Seeds post-delivery.

Conclusion

Amaranth Seeds have been in use for over 5000 years. They were staple diet of the Aztecs. In Modern times, they are grown extensively in the Indian Sub-Continent.

The seeds are harvested from the small green and leafy shrubs when they mature. They can be stored in container for a long ti for a long time.

Amaranth Seeds can be eaten raw or cooked. They can be consumed in powdered form and are quite popular in use for bakery products.

Eating puffed Amaranth Seeds or preparing a sweet porridge gives great taste.

Amaranth Seeds are packed with a unique form of protein which is so essential as a building block to our body. Besides the macro nutrients, it also contains essential micro-nutrients like potassium.

To conclude, there are various ways of consuming Amaranth Seeds. The ways suggested in this article gives you an insight of how one can start using it. However, you are limited by your imagination.

The idea is to use Amaranth Seeds regularly. It is cheap, available and extremely nutritious.

Do leave your comments on your experience with using Amaranth Seeds in the comment box below.

Enjoy a life full of Wellness.

Thank You.