In Australia, amaranth is used for both culinary and medicinal purposes, as well as for creating dyes. The entire plant, including the leaves, stems, and seeds, is considered edible
Here’s a breakdown of its uses:
- Culinary Uses:
- Leaves: Amaranth leaves serve as a substitute for spinach and boast up to three times more nutritional value than other leafy green vegetables. They can be added to soups, stir-fries, and salads .
- Seeds: The seeds can be cooked whole as a cereal substitute or sprouted and added to salads. They can be boiled for 20 minutes to create a gluten-free version of porridge . They can also be ground into flour.
- Puffed Seeds: Amaranth seeds are also available as a puffed product that can be added to breakfast cereals, salads, and baked goods .
- Medicinal Uses:
- Traditionally, amaranth has been used as an astringent and tonic. For example, it has been used as a mouth gargle for mouth ulcers or to ease digestive issues.
- Other Uses:
- Amaranth can be used to create dyes for coloring food and medicines. The whole plant can produce green and yellow dyes, while red dye can also be derived from the plant .
Amaranth seeds are small but nutritious and have a similar quality and use to quinoa seeds. Both are referred to as pseudo-grains. There are different varieties of amaranth available in Australia, with leaves ranging from green to red.